of my mother as my father, I thought myself entitled to make choice of whichever of their two names would confer most honour on me." "You perhaps imagine," said Favello, "that you are speaking of circumstances with which I am not at all acquainted; but you are mistaken. I am particularly intimate with two of your cousins, who have more than once conversed with me respecting your father. They have told me that he was a shrewd, intelligent man; that he was taken prisoner by an Algerine corsair; and that, after having recovered his liberty through the love which a lady at Algiers conceived for him, he went to Seville in search of his correspondent, where he captivated a lady of quality and married her. You are, then, the son of that illustrious house?"-"At your service," replied I, smiling again. "Know then," continued he, "that Signor Don Bertrand, your father's eldest brother, is full of years, still unmarried, and one of the richest nobles in Genoa."- "You tell me what I was ignorant of," said I; "for I have never seen him, and my mother never had any correspondence with him.""I am surprised," said he, "that you have not already made yourself known to him. Your relations are certainly of great consequence in this country, and I know not what should prevent your seeing them." -"What would you have me do?" answered I; 66 would you have me announce my name before people who do not know me, and who will naturally be apt to discredit what a man says who has only his own word as a security. No, no, I stand in no need of their acquaintance, for I want nothing of them. Let us remain as we are. Though they should know that I am here, as a stranger, it is not for me to make the first advances."-" You are right," said Favello; "but allow me to call and apprise them to-morrow morning of your arrival. I am persuaded that I shall no sooner have informed them than they will behave with proper attention towards you." دو "You are a man of prudence and good understanding," replied I to the captain, "and may therefore do what you think best. Only recollect to put no restraint on their inclinations, for it is by no means my wish to intrude myself on their acquaintance." While we were conversing in this manner, Favello had a very handsome collation of the best fruits and sweetmeats served up, which he had prepared on purpose for me, and on which he must have expended the greater part of the pistoles I had presented him with. We still continued to talk together, and the officer, who was perfectly well acquainted with my uncle and cousins, told me so many particulars relating to them, that I soon knew almost as much of their affairs as my own. Night coming on obliged us to re-enter the harbour, where we left the galley, and I took the captain home with me to my inn, where we supped with the gentlemen who lodged there. After supper these gentlemen invited me to play a game with them, saying they had not forgotten the forty pistoles I had won of them the preceding day, and that it was but just I should give them their revenge. I consented; and, feeling myself in good cue for playing, I said to Favello, "At least, Mr 236 of my mother as my father, I thought mysel to make choice of whichever of their tw would confer most honour on me." I a "You perhaps imagine," said Favello, "t.. are speaking of circumstances with which I . at all acquainted; but you are mistaken. ticularly intimate with two of your cousins, wl. more than once conversed with me respecting father. They have told me that he was a sh intelligent man; that he was taken prisoner Algerine corsair; and that, after having recover liberty through the love which a lady at conceived for him, he went to Seville in searc correspondent, where he captivated a lady of and married her. You are, then, the son illustrious house?"-"At your service," re smiling again. "Know then," continued h. Signor Don Bertrand, your father's eldest b full of years, still unmarried, and one of t: nobles in Genoa."-"You tell me what I rant of," said I; "for I have never seen hi: mother never had any correspondence wit I am surprised," said he, "that you have nade yourself known to him. Your r certainly of great consequence in this co know not what should prevent your What would you have me do?" answ would 1 rp eyes doubtless d. the family, came that I owed a large stick, and In I could no longer which had pleased on the contrary, the sight of this stant sham devils, my expense. , however, I failed y than my cousins, leave, left us alone gran by assuring me the son of a brother ; then surveying me that I was very like oud of a connection so family. He then comtured to take up my Should have found apartny at an inn for a man ter. I thanked him very t my cousins also had made but that I had declined such g very unwilling to inconlatives during the short stay I , whither I had come merely lition of the family, as much for , as for that of my mother, who sindly remembered. Captain, you will recollect we go halves this time." He replied with a smile, "that he thought me so lucky that he should be proud to be my partner.' Fortune favoured me from the very commencement to the end of the game. I won a hundred pistoles, which I divided with the captain. This was the more agreeable to him as it did not hurt his pride. Thus I gained his friendship by degrees, so that he could not possibly refuse me the favour I expected of him. He did not fail to keep his promise of going the next day to my relations to announce to them the arrival of the Abbot Don Guzman at Genoa. You will readily imagine that he gave them a fine account of my person, merit, and generosity; for in the afternoon of the same day they called at the inn, completely dressed out for the occasion. My majordomo, to whom I had given my instructions, met them at the door, and conducted them to my apartment, where I received them with a grave face, but with much civility. At first there came only two, both children of a senator who had been dead five or six years, and who was one of my father's brothers. A third next made his appearance, the son of a sister of my father's, still living. They loaded me with compliments, and made an offer of their house, credit, and purse, because Sayavedra had given them to understand that I wanted neither. If nothing else could convince them that I was a very rich abbot, what they observed in my apartment was sufficient to impress them with that opinion of me. I had taken care to spread negligently on the table my gold chain, various other jewels, and the Milan casket |