My uncle, who was the chief of the family, came last. It was particularly to him that I owed a grudge. He supported himself on a large stick, and seemed to walk with difficulty. I could no longer discern that venerable appearance, which had pleased me so much when I first saw him; on the contrary, my blood seemed to curdle at the sight of this malicious old ape, who, with his assistant sham devils had amused himself so cruelly at my expence. In spite of these painful recollections, however, I failed not to receive him more graciously than my cousins, who, shortly after taking their leave, left us alone together. The old gentleman began by assuring me of his extreme joy at the sight of the son of a brother who had ever been dear to him; then surveying me from head to foot, he declared that I was very like my father, and that he felt proud of a connexion so likely to do honour to the family. He then complained that I had not ventured to take up my lodging with him, where I should have found apartments more suitable than any at an inn, for a man of my rank and character. I thanked him very politely, and told him that my cousins also had made an offer of their house, but that I had declined such an accommodation, being very unwilling to inconvenience any of my relatives during the short stay I should make at Genoa, whither I had come merely to ascertain the condition of the family, as much for my own satisfaction, as for that of my mother, who had desired to be kindly remembered.
These last words presented an opportunity to Don Bertrand to make inquiries respecting my mother and her children. I replied that I was her only son, and it had almost escaped me that I had two fathers; but I restrained my tongue in time, and praised my mother up to the skies. My uncle, impatient to relate to me what I knew quite as well as him, interrupted my eulogium, saying: “I must tell you, my dear nephew, an adventure which happened to us six or seven years ago. A little rascal made his appearance in Genoa half naked. He ran about the streets telling all those who were fools enough to listen to him, that he was the son of your father; and this young beggar, who could not be mistaken for any thing but what he was, flattered himself that some of our family would be weak enough to believe him on his word, and humane enough to have compassion on his misery. I threw myself in his way with the intention of being revenged on him for the discredit he brought upon the family, and I was fortunate enough to meet him. I allured him into my house by soft words, and by promising that I would the next day introduce him to a gentleman who would not fail to be of service to him. When I got him home, I put some questions to him, which soon convinced me that he was a little scape grace. I accordingly determined that he should be punished for his presumption, and perceiving that he was dying with hunger, I sent him to bed without any supper in a magnificent chamber, where I caused him to be tormented all night long by certain devils in masks, who tossed him in a blanket to his heart’s content.”
In relating this story to me the old rascal laughed with all his might, and it was with the greatest difficulty that I could restrain the rage I felt. I however, managed to dissemble, and forcing a sort of grin, I agreed with him that the adventure was comical enough. “All that I regret,” continued my uncle, “is, that he disappeared the next morning, and is still at large. Could I have secured him, it was my intention to have inflicted a much severer punishment on him for his presumption, in daring to assert that he bore any affinity to our family.” After this declaration I changed the subject, and a quarter of an hour after the old gentleman took his leave, and I accompanied him to the street door, paying him all the respect due to my father’s elder brother.
CHAP. XLIV.
Guzman gives a grand entertainment to his relations, and makes them pay pretty handsomely for it.
After dinner I desired Sayavedra to go out and purchase four good trunks of the same size. While he was gone on this commission, Favello called upon me, to give me an account of the conversations he had with my relations respecting me, and he assured me all the family were charmed with my person, especially Signor Don Bertrand my uncle. This good old man, continued he, says that he almost fancied that it was his dear brother he saw and heard speak, so much was he struck with your resemblance to your father; that he regretted to find that you had embraced the ecclesiastical life, and should propose to you to throw off your cassock and marry one of your nieces on the mother’s side; and that though this young lady had no property of her own, it was his intention to provide well for her, she being his particular favourite. In conclusion, the Captain protested to me, that my uncle had conceived a great regard for me. All this, however, did not in the least deter me in my intentions towards him.
I went to return the visit the next morning, first to Don Bertrand, who, in the conversation which we had together, took occasion to observe, that he thought that an only son, as I was, ought rather to think of keeping up the family name than to consecrate myself to a state of life which deprived the family of one of its best branches. I might have answered, that he, having always been a bachelor, had himself wronged the family quite as much as if he also had embraced the ecclesiastical life. He then named the lady whom he had selected for my wife. To amuse him, I pretended not to be much averse to his wishes, and made an end of my visit by requesting his company to dine with me the next day. He pressed hard to be excused on account of his great age; but when I represented to him that none but relations would be of the party except Captain Favello, the common friend of the family, he allowed himself to be prevailed on, and promised to come, that I might be convinced, as he was pleased to say, of the great regard he felt for a nephew whom Heaven had sent him. After this I visited my cousins, one after another, and they all promised to join the party. Nothing was now necessary but to prepare a magnificent dinner for them. My landlord told me to leave this to him, and he would undertake that my guests should be handsomely provided for.
My major-domo, who returned home while I was speaking to the landlord, told me that he had purchased four trunks as I desired. I looked at them, and was well pleased. He asked me what I intended to do with them. I told he had only to follow me, and he would soon know. I ordered him to take our casket under his arm, and conducted him to the shop of one of the richest goldsmiths in Genoa, whom I requested to lend me for about twenty-four hours a rich service of silver plates and dishes, in consideration of an honest profit, and depositing the value of the plate in his hands. The goldsmith agreed to the proposal; we agreed as to the sum I should pay him for the loan: and, choosing the service I liked best, I deposited nine thousand franks with the goldsmith by way of security. After which, I desired Sayavedra to fetch the two trunks, put the plate in them himself, and have them carried home; which he did accordingly.
All my relations assembled at my lodgings the next day. My landlord, who piqued himself on being an excellent cook, gave us a specimen of his ability in the difficult art of making ragouts, which he served up in so delicious a style, that my cousins, and even my uncle, confessed that they had never eaten better. If they had not expected such excellent fare, how much more were they surprised when they saw the sideboard set out with elegant plate, and the plates and dishes of the same metal. They could not help observing, that a traveller ran great risk in carrying such a service of plate about with him, and particularly in Italy, where thieves so plentifully abound. The good Don Bertrand, who had made the same reflections at sight of the display of silver, applauded their opinion. “It is your own fault, my nephew,” cried he; “you might easily have avoided living at an inn in a city where you have so many relations. I grant you that this is the best inn in Genoa; but that signifies nothing. You are yet young, and I, having had more experience, would caution you against trusting to the goodness of the locks or padlocks on your trunks, because either the landlord, landlady, their children, or servants, always keep two or three keys to every room in their house. If you believe me in this respect,” continued he, “since you refuse to take up your residence at my house, you will at least send your plate and jewels thither, where they would be in safety until your departure, were there a million of gold.”