hO 3

G I L B L A S. 49

f fhe had pillaged a man of bufinefs, fhe (hared his I fpoils with the firft (harper (he found to her liking,

t, Wc loved cne another at firft fight; and the confor-

t- mity of our mannersjoined us fo clofeJy, that we foon I had every thing in common. Our fortunes, indeed, were not very confirlcrable, and therefore we fpent n them in a very little time. Neither of us, unluckily, is minded any thing but our pleafure, or made the leafl t ufe of the talents we had, to live at our neighbour’s

n expence. But mifery, at la ft, awakened our geniufes,

which pleafure had benumbed : and Camilla faid to i- me, ** My dear Raphael, let us make a diverfion, my # friend, and renounce a fidelity that ruins us both : you may captivate a rich widow, and I may charm fome nobleman : for if we continue faithful to one another, here will be two fortunes loft.” “ Fair Camilla (I e replied) you have anticipated me; I was going to i- ■ make the fame propofal to you. I a {Tent to your d fchecne my queen : yes, for the better fupport of our c mutual fiamc, Iet.us attempt advantageous conqucfts : the infidelities we fhall commit, will turn to triumphs in the end.”

This convention being made, we took the field, and r, made confiderablc motions at firjl, without being able ?, to encounter what wc fought. Camilla could light >C upon none but beaus : that is to fay, gallants who had o not a penny in their pockets : and I could meet with

I no women, but fuch as loved better to levy contribu-

d tions than pay them. As our arts were ufelefs in d love, we had recourfe to ftratagems, and performed 1, fo many that our fame reached the cars of the corrc- gidor ; and that fevere judge for the devil, ordered s one of his alguazils to apprehend us; but this officer U being as good-natured as the other was cruel, gave us d time to quit Madiid, in confideiation of a fmall furn which we beftowed upon him. We took the road to o Valladolid, and fixed in that city, having hired at ti houfc, in which I lived with Camilla, who paffed fi r C fl»y filler, to avoid fcandal. At firft, wc Kept our in. 19 G duftry