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Chapter companions for Gil Blas by Alain-René Lesage.

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  1. Chapter 1

    The Author's Declaration

    The author addresses readers who might apply the work's vicious or ridiculous characters to real individuals, protesting against such interpretations and clarifying that his purpose is to represent human life historically, not to paint portraits. He acknowledges softening some traits of Spanish players out of delicacy and conformity to French manners.

  2. Chapter 2

    Gil Blas to the Reader

    Gil Blas addresses the reader directly, telling a parable of two students who find an inscription at a spring. One dismisses it as a joke, while the other digs deeper and discovers a hidden treasure of a hundred ducats and a note appointing him heir. Gil Blas urges the reader to look beyond the surface of his adventures to find the moral and useful lessons within.

  3. Chapter 3

    Gil Blas

    The opening chapter introduces Gil Blas, a young man of humble origins, as he leaves home to pursue an education at Salamanca. His journey is marked by a robbery at an inn, setting the stage for his adventures and encounters with various characters that will shape his future.

  4. Chapter 4

    Book I

    Gil Blas recounts his birth, upbringing by his uncle, and departure for Salamanca. He is robbed at an inn, captured by banditti, and forced to serve them. He eventually escapes and finds service with Doctor Sangrado, whose absurd medical practices lead to the deaths of many patients. After Sangrado's downfall, Gil Blas arrives in Madrid and becomes a servant to Don Matthias de Silva, a wealthy young man who introduces him to a life of pleasure and debt. Don Matthias dies suddenly, leaving Gil Blas to navigate the consequences.

  5. Chapter 5

    I

    Gil Blas is sent by the minister to Toledo to evaluate the young actress Lucretia for a court engagement. He attends an Auto da Fé, then goes to the theatre where he sees Lucretia perform and recognizes her aunt as his old acquaintance Laura. After a brief misunderstanding, they reconcile, and Laura reveals that Lucretia is actually her daughter by the Marquis of Marialva. Gil Blas promises to secure Lucretia a position at court.

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  1. Chapter 6Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  2. Chapter 7III
  3. Chapter 8Santillane in a new office
  4. Chapter 9V
  5. Chapter 10Chapter VI
  6. Chapter 11VII
  7. Chapter 12VIII
  8. Chapter 13IX
  9. Chapter 14A difficult, but successful weaning from the world
  10. Chapter 15XI
  11. Chapter 16XII
  12. Chapter 17XIII
  13. Chapter 18XIV
  14. Chapter 19The employment of Gil Blas in Don Galiano's household
  15. Chapter 20XVI
  16. Chapter 21XVII
  17. Chapter 22Book II
  18. Chapter 23I
  19. Chapter 24Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  20. Chapter 25III
  21. Chapter 26Santillane in a new office
  22. Chapter 27V
  23. Chapter 28Chapter VI
  24. Chapter 29VII
  25. Chapter 30VIII
  26. Chapter 31IX
  27. Chapter 32Book III
  28. Chapter 33I
  29. Chapter 34Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  30. Chapter 35III
  31. Chapter 36Santillane in a new office
  32. Chapter 37V
  33. Chapter 38Chapter VI
  34. Chapter 39VII
  35. Chapter 40VIII
  36. Chapter 41IX
  37. Chapter 42A difficult, but successful weaning from the world
  38. Chapter 43XI
  39. Chapter 44XII
  40. Chapter 45Book IV
  41. Chapter 46I
  42. Chapter 47Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  43. Chapter 48III
  44. Chapter 49Santillane in a new office
  45. Chapter 50V
  46. Chapter 51Chapter VI
  47. Chapter 52VII
  48. Chapter 53VIII
  49. Chapter 54IX
  50. Chapter 55A difficult, but successful weaning from the world
  51. Chapter 56XI
  52. Chapter 57Book V
  53. Chapter 58I
  54. Chapter 59Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  55. Chapter 60Book VI
  56. Chapter 61I
  57. Chapter 62Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  58. Chapter 63III
  59. Chapter 64Book VII
  60. Chapter 65I
  61. Chapter 66Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  62. Chapter 67III
  63. Chapter 68Santillane in a new office
  64. Chapter 69V
  65. Chapter 70Chapter VI
  66. Chapter 71VII
  67. Chapter 72VIII
  68. Chapter 73IX
  69. Chapter 74A difficult, but successful weaning from the world
  70. Chapter 75XI
  71. Chapter 76XII
  72. Chapter 77XIII
  73. Chapter 78XIV
  74. Chapter 79The employment of Gil Blas in Don Galiano's household
  75. Chapter 80XVI
  76. Chapter 81Book VIII
  77. Chapter 82I
  78. Chapter 83Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  79. Chapter 84III
  80. Chapter 85Santillane in a new office
  81. Chapter 86V
  82. Chapter 87Chapter VI
  83. Chapter 88VII
  84. Chapter 89VIII
  85. Chapter 90IX
  86. Chapter 91A difficult, but successful weaning from the world
  87. Chapter 92XI
  88. Chapter 93XII
  89. Chapter 94XIII
  90. Chapter 95Book IX
  91. Chapter 96I
  92. Chapter 97Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  93. Chapter 98III
  94. Chapter 99Santillane in a new office
  95. Chapter 100V
  96. Chapter 101Chapter VI
  97. Chapter 102VII
  98. Chapter 103VIII
  99. Chapter 104IX
  100. Chapter 105A difficult, but successful weaning from the world
  101. Chapter 106Book X
  102. Chapter 107I
  103. Chapter 108Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  104. Chapter 109III
  105. Chapter 110Santillane in a new office
  106. Chapter 111V
  107. Chapter 112Chapter VI
  108. Chapter 113VII
  109. Chapter 114VIII
  110. Chapter 115IX
  111. Chapter 116A difficult, but successful weaning from the world
  112. Chapter 117XI
  113. Chapter 118XII
  114. Chapter 119Book XI
  115. Chapter 120I
  116. Chapter 121Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  117. Chapter 122III
  118. Chapter 123Santillane in a new office
  119. Chapter 124V
  120. Chapter 125Chapter VI
  121. Chapter 126VII
  122. Chapter 127VIII
  123. Chapter 128IX
  124. Chapter 129A difficult, but successful weaning from the world
  125. Chapter 130XI
  126. Chapter 131XII
  127. Chapter 132XIII
  128. Chapter 133XIV
  129. Chapter 134Book XII
  130. Chapter 135I
  131. Chapter 136Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia—The first appearance of that actress before the court.
  132. Chapter 137III
  133. Chapter 138Santillane in a new office
  134. Chapter 139V
  135. Chapter 140Chapter VI
  136. Chapter 141VII
  137. Chapter 142VIII
  138. Chapter 143IX
  139. Chapter 144A difficult, but successful weaning from the world
  140. Chapter 145XI
  141. Chapter 146XII
  142. Chapter 147XIII
  143. Chapter 148XIV
  144. Chapter 149Endnotes