Soto turned pale with fear at this cruel order; and, out of regard to his skin, shortly afterwards confessed that the two parcels were concealed in the belly of the pig he had stolen. Here they were found; and when they were opened, it appeared they were full of beads and bracelets of coral adorned with gold, of excellent workmanship. Our conductor, like a man who understood his calling, thrust them all into his own pocket without ceremony, promising me a handsome reward, which, however, I have been expecting to this day; which proves clearly that this description of persons profit by the evil actions of rogues, though they do not participate in their punishment. From that day Soto and I swore eternal hatred to each other. We pursued our route, and on our arrival at Port St. Mary, we found that six galleys were careening to put to sea. We were confined a few days in prison, after which we were divided into six bands. I was so unfortunate as to be condemned to live in the same galley with Soto. We were carried aboard our galley. I was seated over against the mainmast, and Soto on the master's bench; so that we seemed doomed to be near each other. The king's coat was then given us, a red waistcoat, two pair of drawers, two shirts, a red cap, and a sea gown. After which a barber performed the operation of shaving our chins and heads. I regretted the loss of my hair exceedingly, which was long and beautiful. But it was of little consequence; I was now a complete galleyslave, which I should have been long before if I had had my deserts. As the commissary is an officer who possesses great authority over the galley-slaves, and which he usually exercises with brutality, my first endeavour was to gain his friendship. He ate and slept very near my seat, and I was always very officious to serve him whenever an opportunity presented itself. I was always the first to anticipate his wants, and testify my extreme desire to be useful to him. All these attentions did not go long unrewarded. I soon perceived that he regarded me with a more favourable eye than the rest. This was a great consolation to me; and to render myself still more worthy of his favour, I redoubled my endeavours to please him; in which I succeeded so well, that he at length never employed any other to assist him, and made me leave my seat to provide his meals for him, having been particularly well pleased with some ragouts I had already made for him. I was not a little proud of this honour, which, in fact, exempted me from my duty as galley-slave. Our galley was ordered to Cadiz, to take aboard some masts, yards, and ship's tackling. Here a young lord, who was related to our captain, and a Knight of the Order of St. James's, came with his baggage on board our galley, intending to make his first expedition. He wore, as was customary in those days, a gold chain; but he had not been a week on board before he lost this. In vain was every exertion made to discover the thief; the chain was not to be found. Upon which the captain recommended his kinsman to take one of the slaves into his service, who should have the care of his chamber, and be responsible for everything, on pain of being handsomely flogged if anything were lost. The Knight my approved highly of this advice, and the only question now was, which of the slaves should have the honour of serving him. He had heard a good account of address and capacity, and wished exceedingly to have me. Accordingly the captain called the commissary before him, and asked him if he was satisfied with my behaviour. The commissary, not knowing the drift of this question, enlarged upon my merit, and spoke so highly in my praise, that the knight from that moment resolved to select me. I was immediately sent for; he liked my looks, and I was enrolled in his service, to the great regret of the commissary. Behold me now become a valet-de-chambre to a Knight of St. James's. That I might be able to serve him the more commodiously, the first favour he obtained for me was, that I should only be obliged to wear a link on my foot; after which, all his clothes, linen, jewels, and other valuables were told out to me, and given in charge to me, with the recommendation that it would be to my own interest to be faithful and vigilant. I put everything in such order that I could see the whole at one view. The servants were expressly forbidden to enter the chamber without my permission, when their master was not in it. This regulation saved me a great deal of trouble in watching these sparks, who were as well versed in legerdemain tricks as any of the slaves on board the galley. I applied myself assiduously to study the humour and disposition of the knight, and it was not long ere I was beloved by him, and even esteemed, galley-slave VOL. II. Ꮓ as I was. He felt pleasure in conversing with me, and I appeared to him to possess such good sense, that he sometimes consulted me on the most important occasions. One day he entered his chamber with a thoughtful and melancholy countenance. "My friend," said he, "one of my uncles has written me a letter which has put me exceedingly out of humour, in which he urges me, if I wish to be heir to all his property, to marry. He has himself grown idle at the Court, without having dared to take that yoke upon himself which he wishes me to submit to. I know not what answer to make, for I have no inclination at present for matrimony.”—“ Sir,” replied I, jesting, "were I in your place, I would write word back, that nothing could please me more than to comply with his wishes, provided it were with one of his daughters." My master laughed most heartily at this advice, which was only meant by me as a joke, and declared that he would write those very words, which he doubted not would rid him of any further importunity. CHAPTER LV. GUZMAN FINDS HIMSELF IN THE MOST CRUEL SITUATION OF HIS LIFE; BUT IT PLEASES HEAVEN SUDDENLY I HAD every reason to be content with the life I led in the service of the young knight, who kept so good a table that I had frequent opportunities of treating my comrades; in which I should not have forgotten Soto, notwithstanding what had passed between us; but this rascal, who had never forgiven me, took great pains to nourish my hatred by constantly speaking ill of me before my master's servants as well as those of the captain. These servants, who none of them liked me, listened to him with pleasure, and did not fail to report everything to their patrons; and, among other slanders, that I was only waiting for an opportunity to make some good hit, and that, sooner or later, the knight would know me for the rogue I really was. Although imputations coming from such a source ought not to have been looked upon without suspicion, they did not entirely fail in making some impression on my master's mind, and I soon perceived, notwithstanding the implicit confidence he pretended to place in me, that he kept a strict watch over all my actions. On my side, without taking notice of his unjust suspicions, I continued to serve him with fidelity, keeping my eyes always open to any snares my enemies might lay for me. In spite of all my vigilance, however, I fell a prey to Soto's malice, who instigated one of the knight's servants to steal a piece of plate out of his master's cabin and hide it under my bed between two boards. I soon missed it, and told my master of the loss in a manner which ought to have convinced him that I was not the thief. But I was not believed, and it was at last found where it had been concealed. The captain, thinking that I had stolen it, in spite of all I could allege in my defence, condemned me to receive fifty lashes, but my master begged me off, on condition |