XLVI. Guzman, on his journey to Saragossa, makes acquaintance and falls in love with a young widow-Progress and conclusion of this new XLVII. Guzman departs for Madrid, where he engages in a new gallantry, the conclusion of which XLIX. Guzman, after the death of his wife, wishes to embrace the ecclesiastical life, and with that view repairs to Alcala de Henares to study. L. Guzman marries again at Alcala, and shortly after LI. Guzman and his wife, having been obliged to leave Madrid for their exemplary and moral LII. Guzman, after his wife's elopement, resides for THE LIFE OF GUZMAN D'ALFARACHE. CHAPTER XXI. WHAT BECOMES OF GUZMAN AFTER HAVING LEFT GENOA. I TRAVELLED some distance from Genoa, without so much as turning my head once towards that city, as though I feared that the sight of it would have petrified me. I resembled one of those who escaped from the battle of Roncesvalles; I walked on without having any determined route, though it was my wish to go to Rome. At length I reached a town about ten miles from Genoa, where I stopped some hours to rest myself, and spent what remained of my pistole. Then, resigning myself entirely into the hands of Providence, I resumed my journey. It was well for me that I had been accustomed to misfortunes, and that I had already made some progress in the art of begging. What would have become of me without this resource? I should have been much to be pitied. Any one that possesses the talent of exciting his neighbour's charity may travel all over Italy without money. I must render this VOL. II. A justice to Italy, that no nation in the world has more charity in it,-in proof of which assertion I reached Rome without spending a single sous of all the money that I was able to collect on the road, and which I carefully reserved. In the different villages through which I passed I had more meat and bread given me than I could possibly consume. Mendicity √ in that country is a fine resource for persons of spirit in bad circumstances who cannot make up their minds to be industrious. For my own part, I was so naturally inclined to that trade that I wished for no better. I must confess that when I found myself in the capital of the Catholic World, with money enough in my pocket to buy a new suit of clothes, I was at first somewhat tempted to employ it in that way, with a design to offer my services to some nobleman; but I had courage enough to resist this desire, which I considered in no other light than as a temptation of the devil. "Oh! oh! Guzman," said I to myself, “do you wish to give yourself the same airs here as at Toledo? Suppose, when you have expended all your little hoard in dress, you should be so unlucky as to find no one willing to employ you, who do you think will feed you, my friend? Do you imagine that a fine new coat is likely to excite charity? Undeceive yourself. You will be more likely to fare better in your present dress. Be wise and rather endeavour to profit by your old follies than to seek after new ones. Be contented as you are, and do not resume your former vanities." Reasoning with myself in this manner, I tied up my purse with a double knot, and addressing myself to the money within it, "Remain thus secure," said I, "until I find a better opportunity of making thee useful." 66 I began then to traverse the streets of Rome in my rags, soliciting alms like one who believed himself a master in the art, but who was in reality a mere apprentice in comparison with the professors of that country. Among these was a young fellow, who, remarking the manner of begging that I adopted, found that I required a few lessons, which he was kind enough to give me. We associated together; and, to render me useful to the society, he taught me the different manners and the several tones in which alms should be asked of different people, and that the same speech would not always do. "Men," said he, are not in the least affected by the plaintive and lamentable tones adopted by most beggars. They will be much more likely to put their hands in their pockets when you implore their assistance boldly for God's sake. As for women," continued he, "as some pay their devotions to the Holy Virgin, and others to our Lady of the Rosary, it is by one of these that we wheedle them. It has frequently a good effect also to pray that they may be preserved from all mortal sin, from false witnesses, the power of traitors, and from slanderous tongues; such wishes as these, pronounced in energetic terms, and in an impressive tone of voice, will almost always make their purses fly open to assist you." |