replied Blanche ; " she will break through restraint,
VANILLO GONZALES. 105
inform you of your victory, and then it will remain
with yourself to take advantage of it."
Blanche pronounced these words in such a soft
tone of voice, as convinced me that my youth
had made a strong impression on her mind, and
that it only rested with me to perform the same
part with the mother that my master was per-
forming with her daughter. Inexperienced as I
was, it was impossible to mistake her; and I felt
an inclination to pursue the point, but my courage
failed me ; and the lady, not choosing to go further
on the first interview, the conclusion of the scene was
put off until another opportunity.
During this time, the delightful moments of love
which his Excellency passed with his young widow
rolled imperceptibly away, until the beams of Aurora
began to twinkle on the distant horizon ; when, re-
collecting this most important part of my duty,
I instantly announced the danger of approaching
day, and sounded a retreat. The two lovers soon
afterwards separated, not without regret, although
they might have been very well contented with the
evening.
In bidding adieu to Blanche, I pressed one of her
fair hands with transport to my lips, in order to
repair the affront my timidity had given to her
charms; and silently issuing from the mansion of
these lovely widows, we reached the palace with-
out beinsr seen.
106 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XVI.
THE CONVERSATION WHICH PASSED THE ENSUING MORN-
ING BETWEEN VAN1LLO AND THOMAS THE INGE-
NIOUS SENTENCE WHICH WAS PASSED BY THE DUKE
OF OSSUNA, AND THE CONSEQUENCES WHICH THAT
SENTENCE PRODUCED UPON THE FUTURE FORTUNES
OF VANILLO.
HAVING retired to the apartment of Thomas to
unrobe, the Duke went immediately afterwards to
his bedchamber to sleep ; and I also, although I had
not so much occasion for repose, sought mine with
the same intention.
On the ensuing day, my first care was to visit
my friend Thomas, who, on seeing me, discovered
great impatience to learn what had passed during
our interview with the ladies on the preceding
evening, and I gave him, by his own desire, a cir-
cumstantial account of everything. Being indeed
by nature very little given to reserve, feeling myself
under too many obligations to him to conceal any-
thing from his knowledge, and urged'by his particular
anxiety to be informed of the manner in which I
was received by Blanche, I related to him not
merely the conversation that had passed between
us, but expatiated much more at large upon
the subject than I should have done if I had
been acquainted with the particular interest he
had in it; and, not finding, in truth, matter suffi-
ciently splendid to do honour to my merit, even
added to my narrations several fanciful decorations.
VANILLO GONZALES. 107
I was then ignorant that Thomas was deeply ena-
moured with this lady. It will be easily conceived,
that under such circumstances my new friend
listened to my story with great displeasure. The
strong terms, indeed, in which I described Blanche's
tenderness towards me, acted like deadly blows
upon the poor creature's heart ; but I innocently
attributed the grimaces and contortions he ex-
hibited during the recital to the pangs of the
gout, rather than to what in truth they were, the
pangs of jealousy. To avoid discovery, however,
he affected to feel the highest delight and satis-
faction from those circumstances in my narrative
by which he suffered in reality the keenest pain.
" I congratulate you, Vanillo," said he, with a forced
smile; "I give you joy on your having inspired
the heart of so charming a woman with love.
Blanche, though somewhat advanced in years, is
still extremely amiable. I am delighted to find you
please her. I exhort you to dismiss all timidity
upon your next interview. Women in general are
not inclined to condemn a lover for hastily seizing
an occasion to be happy." But the jealous lover,
while he was giving me this advice, well knew
that he was able to prevent me from following
it.
A few days afterwards I learned that he was my
rival ; and when the Duke next visited his lovely
Baroness, Thomas, although his health was far from
beinsr restored, chose to be his Excellencv's com-
o
panion.
Perceiving the important mistake I had com-
mitted, my mind foreboded every possible ill con-
sequence. "Miserable young man!" exclaimed I,
loS THE HISTORY OF
"what have you done ? What demon, the enemy
of your prosperity, has thus, by one fatal error,
sunk you to perdition ? Think not that even a
friend can pardon the crime of being beloved by
his mistress. You must no longer expect the
friendship of Thomas, or fancy that he will con-
tinue your Mecaenas. Generous sentiments may
perhaps prevent him from injuring you, but they
will never urge him to do you any service."
While I reproached myself in this manner for
my youthful indiscretion, my rival, although he
observed a profound silence respecting his recent
interview with his adored Blanche, and never after-
wards mentioned her name in my hearing, main-
tained, to all outward appearance, the same esteem
and friendship for me as before ; for he not only
always received me with great cordiality, but pro-
fessed, as usual, the warmest friendship ; and even
promised that I should, in his stead, occasionally
accompany his Excellency in certain nocturnal ex-
peditions, which he frequently made to learn the
private sentiments of the inhabitants of Palermo
respecting his administration of the government ;
for the Baroness de Conca was not always the
cause of his nocturnal sorties. This practice, which
no Viceroy had ever before adopted, he performed
by placing himself in the streets under various
disguises, sometimes as a soldier, at other times as
a sailor, at other times as a beggar, and entering
into conversation with the populace, in which he
provoked them by every means in his power to
express their opinions, whether good or bad, of the
manner in which he conducted the public affairs.
Without inquiring whether this conduct be blame-
VANILLO GONZALES. 109
able or praiseworthy, it is sufficient for me to say,
that one night when I accompanied the Duke, I
should have gladly resigned the honour to my
friend Thomas; for, having joined a cluster of the
lowest order, who had assembled to entertain them-
selves, the Duke thought proper to censure a par-
ticular measure of his own which he had then
recently enforced, in order to hear what they would
say on the subject, when instantly two or three ot
them, who perhaps knew him, fell upon us both,
and beat us about the head and stomach as if we
had been two seditious brawlers against the state ;
and it was with the greatest difficulty that we made
our escape. Of some of these adventures the Duke
frequently formed many entertaining stories, but I
never heard him mention this.
Indulged, however, as I was, in being permitted
to accompany his Excellency on these secret and
midnight expeditions, I was never permitted to
accompany him to his mistress's house ; an office
which his confidant Thomas, whom jealousy seemed
to have cured completely of the gout, always took
special care to execute in his own person. Having,
however, a much greater desire to preserve the
friendship of the valet-de-chambre than to increase
the good opinion of his mistress, the exclusion gave
me no uneasiness ; and attaching myself to him
more than ever, I was so assiduous, that if I did
not in fact efface from his memory all recollection
of the confidence I had so foolishly reposed in him,
I found him at least to feign forgetfulness of it so
well, that he seemed to increase in affection for
me day after day ; and at length I fondly flattered
myself, that, satisfied with having removed me from
i io THE HISTORY OF
all opportunity of seeing Blanche, he had nothing
upon his mind against me.
While I was contemplating my security on this
subject, a young citizen of Palermo accosted me
one day in the street, saying, with a countenance
of sorrow : " I entreat you, sir, to pardon the liberty
I take in speaking to you ; but, perceiving by your
dress that you are one of the Viceroy's pages, I
wish you to afford me, by a quarter of an hour's
conversation, an opportunity of communicating to
you a matter of great importance ; if you can feel
a disposition to render a service to a deserving man,
you will do me the favour to follow me." Assuring
him that he could not apply to a person more
disposed than I was to afford pleasure to others,
he conducted me to a house of rather an elegant
structure, and introduced me into a chamber where
lay a bed-ridden old man. " Sir," said the youth,
as we entered the room, " there you behold an un-
fortunate father in a situation that deserves your
compassion. Grief, which the treachery of a friend
who has robbed him of ten thousand crowns
has occasioned, is the cause of his malady. We
are both of us entirely ruined, unless we can
make interest with the Viceroy to interfere in our
behalf."
"You know very well," replied I, "that his Ex-
cellency is easy of access ; that he is humane,
affable, and extremely patient in listening to any
complaints. Nevertheless, although you have no
necessity for any recommendation to him, I shall
be happy to afford you every good office in my
power. I am, perhaps, the most favoured of his
pages. Tell me, therefore, the particulars of this
VANILLO GONZALES. in
affair, and I will answer that his Excellency will do
you complete justice."
The father and son thanked me for my kindness,
and concluded their compliments by promising me a
present of two hundred pistoles.
" Softly, gentlemen," said I, " and permit me
first to inform you, that all the domestics of the
Viceroy are forbidden to receive the smallest gra-
tuity from persons they may serve, under the
penalties of being not only severely punished,
but immediately driven from the palace in dis-
grace."
"This is too rigorous a law," cried the old man.
" How then shall I show my gratitude ? for it is
mortifying not to be able to acknowledge favours
conferred, except by vain expressions of the senti-
ments they create."
"A Spanish benefactor expects no other reward,"
replied I haughtily. " Let us quit this unne-
cessary discourse, and relate to me the circum-
stances of the treachery which has caused your
ruin."
The old man began accordingly in the following
manner :
" My name is Giannetino. I am the son of a
counsellor at law, who, after a laborious life, passed
in the practice of his profession, died rather poor
than rich ; a circumstance which can only be at-
tributed to the excessive disinterestedness and
scrupulous integrity of his conduct. Subsequent to
my father's decease, I had the good fortune to
marry a widow with a jointure of a thousand
crowns, and by this union was enabled to live at
Palermo with elegance and case. I have still the
112 THE HISTORY OF
reputation of being in good circumstances, but I
shall soon be classed among the most miserable of
its citizens ; and, if I lose the suit which has been
entered against me to-day, I shall be truly wretched
indeed. The cause of it is as follows : About six
months ago, Charles Azarini, Peter Scannati, and
Jerom Avellino, three merchants, all of them my
intimate friends, came to this house, accompanied
by a public notary, and, bringing with them the
sum of six thousand crowns in gold, informed me
that they had agreed to make me the depositary
of this money, which they intended to export when-
ever an advantageous opportunity happened. De-
livering it into my possession, they desired me to
give them an undertaking in writing, that I would
not deliver it, or any part of it, to any one of
them except in the presence of the other two ;
and I accordingly entered into this engagement by
executing a document which the notary prepared
for this purpose. We carefully preserved the money
thus deposited for the parties concerned whenever
its delivery should be required. But a few nights
ago, Jerom Avellino knocked loudly at my door,
and, on its being opened, hastily entered my room
in great agitation. ' Signer Giannetino,' said he,
' if I break in upon the hours of repose, you must
excuse the interruption from the importance of the
business which occasions it. Azarini, Scannati, and
myself- have learnt that a Genoese vessel richly
laden is just arrived at Messina, from which, if de-
spatch be used, we have an opportunity of deriving
great advantage, and have therefore resolved to
employ the ten thousand crowns which are in your
hands. Make haste, if you please, and deliver them
VANILLO GONZALES. 113
to me ; my horse is waiting at the door ; and I
burn with impatience to reach Messina.' ' Signer
Avellino,' said I, ' you seem to have forgot that
I cannot part with them unless'- 'Oh! no,
no/ interrupted he, ' I very well recollect that
it is expressed in the agreement, that you are
not to deliver them unless the three parties
be present ; but Azarini and Scannati are ill, and
could not accompany me to your house ; they how-
ever absolve you from that condition, and desire
that you will deliver me the money immediately :
every moment is of consequence ; come, you have
nothing to fear ; you have long known me ; I have
always maintained the character of an honest man,
and I hope you will not, by any unjust suspicion of
my integrity, disturb the friendship which has sub-
sisted between us, and be the cause of our losing the
present advantageous opportunity. Do, do make
haste,' continued he ; ' deliver me the money instantly,
or I am fearful I shall be too late at Messina.' A secret
apprehension of danger, which Heaven, no doubt, in-
spired for my safety, made me hesitate a long time ;
but Avellino, the villain Avellino, supplicated, pressed,
and tormented me in such a way, that my resistance
at length failed, and I foolishly delivered to him the
deposit ; with which he immediately disappeared.''
The old man, as he uttered these words, recollecting
his imprudence, burst into a flood of tears. My heart
melted at his distress. " Do not afflict yourself," said
I, endeavouring to console him ; " his Excellency the
Viceroy has much in his power. Avellino will have
great difficulty to escape his vengeance."
"Avellino, alas!" said the son of the old citizen,
" is already at a great distance ; and, what is more
H
114 THE HISTORY OF
afflicting, no sooner were Azarini and Scannati in-
formed of the trick their associate had played, than
they instantly commenced a suit against my father
for the money confided to his care. This cause will
be heard in the course of two days, and my poor
father, in all probability, will be condemned to restore
ten thousand crowns to the complainants."
" The cause is not yet decided," exclaimed I ; " and
I have no doubt that the Viceroy, upon being informed
of the facts and circumstances, which he shall be this
very day, will choose to try this cause himself."
I made a faithful report of this case to his Excel-
lency, who, after great attention, said to me, smiling,
" I shall give such a judgment in this case as will
make some noise in the world."
On the succeeding day he summoned the parties
to appear before him ; and when the plaintiffs had
pleaded their cause, he addressed the defendant.
" Giannetino," said he, "what answer have you to
make to this demand ? "
" None, sir," replied Giannetino, elevating his shoul-
ders and resting his chin upon his breast.
" He is right, gentlemen," replied the Duke, ad-
dressing himself to Azarini and Scannati ; " he has no
answer to make to your charge. He acknowledges
all that you have said, and is ready to pay you the
ten thousand crowns which were deposited in his
hands ; but as he cannot, by the terms of the agree-
ment, deliver them unless the three parties be actually
present, do you bring Avellino into court, and you
shall have the money."
The numerous auditory which attended this trial no
sooner heard the judgment, than the court resounded
with peals of applause, and it became the subject of
conversation everywhere throughout Italy.
VAN1LLO GONZALES. 115
Giannetino and his son, who thought their ruin
certain, overjoyed to find themselves delivered from
their embarrassment, gratefully invited me to dine
with them. After dinner they spread upon the table
the two hundred pistoles which they had promised to
give me, and which I had refused to accept What a
sight was this to me ! They pressed me to accept of
them, protesting that no person whatever should
know it. Human fortitude is extremely weak. They
urged my acceptance of them in such various ways,
and used so many arguments on the subject, that at
length, finding it impossible to refuse, I reconciled all
difficulties by putting the purse in which they were
enclosed into my pocket. Recollecting, however, that
the Duke was averse to the servants of his house
making a traffic of their favours, I felt great uneasi-
ness. But I trusted that this single instance of mis-
conduct would never reach his ear, and I am persuaded
that the two Giannetinos would never have divulged
the secret, if his Excellency had not sent for the
father three days afterwards, and asked him, in my
hearing, whether he had not made me some present.
The old man, incapable of falsehood, and unwilling
to discover the truth for fear of doing me an injury,
was exceedingly embarrassed by the question, while
I felt the ground tremble under my feet.
" Conceal nothing from me," said the Duke, with a
fierce and menacing aspect. " I command you, upon
pain of my displeasure, to tell me what testimony of
gratitude Vanillo has received from your hands."
The citizen, well knowing that the Viceroy was a
man before whom it was dangerous to equivocate,
acknowledged that he had given me two hundred
pistoles, adding, by way of excuse for me, that they
had been forced upon me by himself and his son.
n6 THE HISTORY OF
" I do not blame you," replied the Duke, " for hav-
ing offered him the money ; but, knowing my delicacy
and express orders upon this subject, he should not
have taken it. It is an offence which I cannot forgive."
Having expressed himself to this effect, he turned
towards me, and inquired what I had done with the
money.
" It is," replied I, " in my chamber, in the same
state as when I received it."
" Well, then," said he, " fetch it here immediately."
I obeyed ; and when I returned with my purse, he
delivered it to one of his gentlemen in waiting, say-
ing, " Go and distribute these pistoles among the poor,
for they alone ought to benefit by the indiscretion of
Giannetino. But as for you, Vanillo," continued he,
" you may retire whenever you please ; you are no
longer in my service ; and I forbid you for ever here-
after to enter the palace gates."
Throwing myself at the feet of my offended master,
I endeavoured to excite his compassion. Useless
servility! He darted a look of furious anger on me,
and walked away.
Drowned in tears, I ran to the apartment of Thomas,
and related to him the circumstances of my disgrace ;
and I must do him the justice to say, that he not only
seemed afflicted by my misfortune, but promised me
his endeavours to appease the anger of the Viceroy.
Certain it is that no person could have interposed
with greater probability of success, and perhaps I
should have been restored to favour if he had made the
attempt ; but, more jealous than generous, he felt a
secret pleasure in my expulsion, and took good care
that I should derive no advantage from his interces-
sion, although he positively assured me that he had
used every effort to procure my pardon.
VANILLO GONZALES. 117
" I represented to his Excellency," said he, " every-
thing that suggested itself to me in your favour. I
showed as much anxiety for you as if you had been
my own son. In short, I neglected no means to re-
establish you in his good opinion; but all my endea-
vours were fruitless; he is inexorable. He even told
me that he had been too indulgent in ordering only a
simple dismission from his service, for that your crime
deserved a more rigorous chastisement. My dear
Vanillo," added the perfidious Thomas, embracing me
tenderly, " you cannot conceive the mortification I
feel in not having been able to move his Excellency
upon this occasion, notwithstanding the ascendency
which I. possess over his mind."
And this artful old valet-de-cJiambre, the better to
insinuate that he was speaking sincerely, and had
always felt an affection for me, offered me a purse
containing about twenty pistoles, which I took with-
out hesitation, having lost every hope of being restored
to my station under the Viceroy.
Previous to my departure from the palace, I went
to bid adieu to Ouivello, who was already acquainted
with my disgrace. " My friend, Vanillo," said he at a
distance, the moment he saw me, "I know all. His
Excellency, whom I have just left, has himself related
to me everything that has passed. I have endea-
voured in vain to persuade him to forgive you. I
could not even prevail upon him to revoke the sen-
tence he lias passed. I lament it most sincerely ! "
We wept bitterly on taking leave of each other.
But I must not forget that, to moderate my affliction,
he gave me at the same time from his Excellency a
mitigation of a hundred pistoles, with which I re-
turned from the palace more than half reconciled to
tho adversity of my fate.
ii8 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XVII.
BY WHAT ACCIDENT AND WITH WHAT DESIGN VANILLO
BECAME AN APOTHECARY, AND THE HAPPY EFFECT
WHICH A QUID PRO QUO PRODUCED ON HIS FORTUNES.
Ox leaving the palace of the Viceroy, the first person
I met was the son of Giannetino. " I was comin^, "
t>"
said he, " to request of you to seek an asylum in my
father's house; justice requires that we should be
sensible to the misfortunes of a man who has ruined
himself by his endeavours to render us service."
Without waiting for a second invitation, I suffered
the youth to conduct me to his father's house, where
I was received by both the father and the son with
every testimony of gratitude and esteem.
I had lived almost a fortnight with Giannetino,
when the generous old man said to me, " My dear
Gonzales, I consider you as my second son, and am
anxious to procure you a permanent establishment in
Palermo. There is in this city an old apothecary,
who is not only my near relation, but, what is more
important, my intimate friend ; and I have conceived
the idea of placing you under his care. Pharmacy is
a science of which you will soon acquire a complete
knowledge, and you may then marry his only daughter
Violetta, who will make you an excellent wife. She
is certainly not the most perfect beauty ; but she is
sufficiently pleasing, and has the reputation of being
the most sensible girl in Palermo. Besides, she will,
at the death of her father, possess a good fortune.
Consider of this proposal," added he, "and if matri-
VANILLO GONZALES. n 9
mony be not disagreeable to you, and you have no
objection to the business of an r apothecary, I will
immediately make overtures to my friend in your
favour."
Requesting Giannetino would allow me four and
twenty hours to reflect upon this proposal, I carefully
examined all its advantages and disadvantages in the
best manner I was able. The idea of making juleps
and decoctions sometimes disgusted me, but at others
pharmacy appeared to me to be far preferable to sur-
gery. " The reason of my dislike to surgery," said I,
" was the necessity J was under of blunting all the
feelings of the heart, in order to perform its cruel
operations : but that is not the case with an apothe-
cary ; he is under no necessity of being cruel in mak-
ing his salves and compounds." Having examined the
subject in every point of view, I at length determined
to accede to Giannetino's proposal. This generous
Sicilian, the moment he received my answer, applied
to the old apothecary, who made no objection to this
scheme, and I was immediately received into his
house.
My future father-in-law, whose name was Andrew
Potoschi, was a man profoundly skilled in all the
mysteries of his profession ; an excellent chemist, and
an accurate observer of the phenomena of nature
he had made many curious discoveries, and possessed
secrets in the science of pharmacology, of extreme
importance to the fair sex ; particularly a cosmetic of
his own invention, which restored a decayed skin to
its pristine bloom ; and a pomade which effectually