A very handsome room was assigned me, and I remarked with pleasure, that the other servants looked upon me as their superior, and as one whom their lady would have respect paid to. All her private papers were entrusted to me, and I applied myself so assiduously in discharge of my trust, that I despatched as much business in fifteen days, as my mistress expected would have taken up six months. Overjoyed at the acquisition of so expeditious an accountant, she never saw the Dominican, but she praised me exceedingly; which afforded the good Father great pleasure, who really thought me a young man of integrity and virtue.
I was frequently obliged to consult my lady on affairs which could not be settled without her approbation, and these interviews sometimes lasted for some hours. On these occasions I always behaved myself with so much respect, softness, and insinuation, that I perceived I was daily gaining ground in her good will. At first she had fixed certain times for me to speak with her on domestic affairs; which were in the morning at her toilet, and in the evening after supper. This did not last long; for she would come into my room after dinner, under some pretence or other, and spend hours with me in discourse which had no relation to business. Her fondness for me increased daily, and I could not but foresee the happiness she designed me. I affected for a long time not to understand her kind intentions; but flesh is flesh: and she having condescended to make advances at least half way, I could not forbear meeting her the other half. She excused her frailty by saying she designed to marry me privately, and I abandoned myself entirely to my good fortune, from which I should undoubtedly have reaped considerable advantage, had I been prudent enough to maintain my ground.
CHAP. LIII.
How Guzman suddenly loses his Mistress’s favour, and is condemned to the galleys.
No sooner had I found in any part of my life that I might swim in deep water, than I was drowned. Finding that I was now beloved by my mistress, and looked upon by the servants as one whose favour was of consequence, I began to act quite a different character in the family, and set myself up to be absolute lord of all. I bought the most expensive clothes; spent money like a gentleman; and to crown all, took an under steward to look after the business of the house. Madam herself was not a wit more prudent, and consulting her love rather than her reason, approved of every thing I did.
This was by no means the case with her relations, who, as they had an eye to the succession, observed her steps most vigilantly. They had conceived no great liking for me when I first entered the service, being rather suspicious, and not without reason, of the very devout air I assumed; but when they learnt that I carried all before me in the family, they began to reflect seriously upon it. They knew who I was, and not thinking that I was married, became very apprehensive lest the too tender widow should eventually take me into the place of the defunct governor, if she had not already done so; especially when they recollected that she had some years before contracted marriage clandestinely with one of my predecessors, who, fortunately for the lady’s heirs, had thought proper to die shortly afterwards. This made them very uneasy, and they had many meetings among themselves to deliberate upon the most efficacious mode of ridding themselves of so formidable a rival in the lady’s favour. All their endeavours, however, would have been ineffectual, had I not ruined myself in my mistress’s opinion by my imprudent conduct.
The tender connexion I had formed with the lovesick lady became daily less lively on my part; for, to say the truth, she was far from possessing qualities calculated long to attach the inclinations of a gallant man. Unfortunately also for our amours, I had cast my eyes on a young girl in the house, a pretty merry wench of about sixteen or seventeen years of age. A man who had money unlimited at his command, and the entire government of the family, was not a conquest to be despised by a waiting-maid; so that I soon lured her to my purpose, and we concerted measures so well, that we kept our correspondence secret for a considerable time. There were, however, other women in the house, and it was not possible, therefore, that we could remain long undiscovered. Celia, which was the damsel’s name, soon began to dress herself out in the jewels and ornaments I had given her, and to boast of her money. Her companions, in consequence, became jealous of her, and informed their mistress, who ordered them to watch her, and neglect nothing to ascertain the source of all this finery. These directions were punctually obeyed; and it was soon discovered that Celia had nocturnal conversations with me for three or four hours in my chamber. This news struck like a dagger to the lady’s heart, for she had hitherto been confident of my fidelity. She could not think me guilty of such perfidy, and determined to be thoroughly convinced herself before she satisfied her vengeance.
I lay in a chamber which communicated with my mistress’s by a closet in which there was a private door covered with tapestry. In addition to this, there was an opening which I knew nothing of, directly against my bed’s-head; so that a person listening might easily hear whatever was said in my chamber, particularly when I was in bed. In this spot the widow placed herself one night, and listening attentively to my conversation with Celia, she overheard us distinctly speaking of herself; and though we had frequently before amused ourselves at her expence, yet, as the devil would have it, we had never before spoken so ill of her. We communicated to each other without reserve the various frailties and natural defects we had observed in her, and, in short, pulled her to pieces from head to foot. You will readily imagine the lady’s rage at hearing herself painted in such glowing colours. She was at first tempted to enter my chamber and vent her fury on us immediately; but after a little reflection, she very wisely thought it more prudent to retire, and meditate her revenge more privately, than to make all the servants in the house laugh at her expense.
No sooner had day arrived than she sent for her nearest relation, to tell him that I was a complete rogue; that I had not been content with robbing her and putting all her affairs into disorder, but had dishonoured her house; in short, that she was determined no longer to overlook my knaveries, and only wished that I might be punished according to my deserts. She could not possibly have selected a more fit person to promote her wishes in this respect than this relation of her’s, who, hoping one day or other to be her heir, had more interest than any one to remove me from the testatrix. He was, therefore, highly delighted at so favourable an opportunity, and made haste to profit by it, lest the lady should change her mind. He knew her well, and saw plainly that she only acted this part out of some jealous pique; and accordingly exerted himself with such effect that in less than two hours he obtained a warrant against me, so that before I had risen from my bed, an Alguazil entered my chamber, and led me off to prison.