Though he had a gay,
light-hearted disposition and loved social pleasures, he was not spoilt
by the admiration his beauty excited. Simple-minded and modest he
remained always; though perhaps not capable of any very strong passion,
for though he won, without seeking it, the hearts of many fair women,
he did not marry. He might have married some rich woman to improve his
position had he been so minded, but in this, as in everything else in
his life, Basilio appeared to be incapable of doing anything to advance
his own fortunes. The de la Barcas had once possessed great wealth in
land in the country, and, I have heard, descended from an ancient noble
family of Spain. During the long, disastrous wars this country has
suffered, when it was conquered in turn by England, Portugal, Spain,
Brazil, and the Argentines, the family became impoverished, and at
last appeared to be dying out. The last of the de la Barcas was Basilio,
and the evil destiny which had pursued all of that name for so many
generations did not spare him. His whole life was a series of
calamities. When young he entered the army, but in his first engagement
he received a terrible wound which disabled him for life and compelled
him to abandon the military career. After that he embarked all his
little fortune in commerce, and was ruined by a dishonest partner. At
length when he had been reduced to great poverty, being then about
forty years old, he married an old woman out of gratitude for the
kindness she had shown to him; and with her he went to live on the
sea-coast, several leagues east of Cabo Santa Maria.
Pages:
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179