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The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle

T >> Tobias Smollett >> The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle




Pickle told him his conduct had been so extravagant as to confirm
the whole company in the belief that he was actually deprived of
his senses: on which supposition, Mr. Jolter and the doctor had
acted the part of friends, in doing that which they thought most
conducive to his recovery: so that their concern merited his thankful
acknowledgment, instead of his frantic menaces: that, for his own
part, he would be the first to condemn him, as one utterly bereft
of his wits, and give orders for his being secured as a madman,
unless he would immediately give a proof of his sanity by laying
aside his sword, composing his spirits, and thanking his injured
friends for their care of his person.

This alternative quieted his transports in a moment: he was
terrified at the apprehension of being treated like a bedlamite,
being dubious of the state of his own brain; and, on the other
hand, had conceived such a horror and antipathy for his tormentors,
that, far from believing himself obliged by what they had done, he
could not even think of them without the utmost rage and detestation.
He, therefore, in the most tranquil voice he could assume, protested
that he never was less out of his senses than at present, though
he did not know how long he might retain them, if he should be
considered in the light of a lunatic: that, in order to prove his
being Compos mentis, he was willing to sacrifice the resentment he
so justly harboured against those who, by their malice, had brought
him to this pass; but, as he apprehended it would be the greatest
sign of madness he could exhibit to thank them for the mischiefs
they had brought upon him, he desired to be excused from making any
such concession; and swore he would endure everything rather than
be guilty of such mean absurdity.

Peregrine held a consultation upon this reply, when the governor
and physician strenuously argued against any capitulation with
a maniac, and proposed that some method might be taken to seize,
fetter, and convey him into a dark room, where he might be treated
according to the rules of art; but the Capuchin, understanding the
circumstances of the case, undertook to restore him to his former
state, without having recourse to such violent measures. Pickle, who
was a better judge of the affair than any person present, opened
the door without further hesitation, and displayed the poor painter
standing with a woeful countenance, shivering in his shirt, which
was as wet as if he had been dragged through the Dender:--a spectacle
which gave such offence to the chaste eyes of the Hebrew's mistress,
who was by this time one of the spectators, that she turned her
head another way, and withdrew to her own room, exclaiming against
the indecent practices of men.

Pallet, seeing the young gentleman enter, ran to him, and, taking
him by the hands, called him his best friend, and said he had
rescued him from those who had a design against his life. The priest
would have produced his parings and applied them to his nose, but
was hindered by Pickle, who advised the patient to shift himself,
and put on his clothes. This being done with great order and
deliberation, Mr. Jolter who, with the doctor, had kept a wary
distance, in expectation of seeing some storage effects of his
distraction, began to believe that he had been guilty of a mistake,
and accused the physician of having misled him by his false
diagnostic. The doctor still insisted upon his former declaration
assuring him, that although Pallet enjoyed a short interval for the
present, the delirium would soon recur, unless they would profit
by this momentary calm, and order him to be blooded, blistered,
and purged with all imaginable despatch.

The governor, however, notwithstanding this caution, advanced to
the injured party, and begged pardon for the share he had in giving
him such disturbance. He declared, in the most solemn manner, that
he had no other intention than that of contributing towards his
welfare; and that his behaviour was the result of the physician's
prescription, which he affirmed was absolutely necessary for the
recovery of his health.

The painter, who had very little gall in his disposition, was
satisfied with this apology; but his resentment, which was before
divided, now glowed with double fire against his first fellow-traveller,
whom he looked upon as the author of all the mischances he had
undergone, and marked out for his vengeance accordingly. Yet the
doors of reconciliation were not shut against the doctor, who, with
great justice, might have transferred this load of offence from
himself to Peregrine, who was, without doubt, the source of the
painter's misfortune: but, in that case, he must have owned himself
mistaken in his medical capacity, and he did not think the friendship
of Pallet important enough to be retrieved by such condescension;
so that he resolved to neglect him entirely, and gradually forget
the former correspondence he had maintained with a person whom he
deemed so unworthy of his notice.





CHAPTER LVIII.




Peregrine, almost distracted with his Disappointment, conjures the
fair Fleming to permit his Visits at Brussels--She withdraws from
his Pursuit.


Things being thus adjusted, and all the company dressed, they
went to breakfast about five in the morning; and in less than an
hour after were seated in the diligence, where a profound silence
prevailed. Peregrine, who used to be the life of the society, was
extremely pensive and melancholy on account of his mishap, the
Israelite and his dulcinea dejected in consequence of their disgrace,
the poet absorbed in lofty meditation, the painter in schemes of
revenge; while Jolter, rocked by the motion of the carriage, made
himself amends for the want of rest he had sustained; and the
mendicant, with his fair charge, were infected by the cloudy aspect
of our youth, in whose disappointment each of them, for different
reasons, bore no inconsiderable share. This general languor and
recess from all bodily exercise disposed them all to receive the
gentle yoke of slumber; and in half-an-hour after they had embarked,
there was not one of them awake, except our hero and his mistress,
unless the Capuchin was pleased to counterfeit sleep, in order to
indulge our young gentleman with an opportunity of enjoying some
private conversation with his beauteous ward.

Peregrine did not neglect the occasion; but, on the contrary,
seized the first minute, and, in gentle murmurs, lamented his hard
hap in being thus the sport of fortune. He assured her, and that
with great sincerity, that all the cross accidents of his life
had not cost him one half of the vexation and keenness of chagrin
which he had suffered last night; and that now he was on the brink
of parting from her, he should be overwhelmed with the blackest
despair, if she would not extend her compassion so far as to give
him an opportunity of sighing at her feet in Brussels, during the
few days his affairs would permit him to spend in that city. This
young lady, with an air of mortification, expressed her sorrow for
being the innocent cause of his anxiety; said she hoped last night's
adventure would be a salutary warning to both their souls; for she
was persuaded, that her virtue was protected by the intervention
of Heaven; that whatever impression it might have made upon him,
she was enabled by it to adhere to that duty from which her passion
had begun to swerve; and, beseeching him to forget her for his own
peace, gave him to understand, that neither the plan she had laid
down for her own conduct, nor the dictates of her honour, would
allow her to receive his visits, or carry on any other correspondence
with him, while she was restricted by the articles of her marriage-vow.

This explanation produced such a violent effect upon her admirer,
that he was for some minutes deprived of the faculty of speech; which
he no sooner recovered, than he gave vent to the most unbridled
transports of passion. He taxed her with barbarity and indifference;
told her, that she had robbed him of his reason and internal peace;
that he would follow her to the ends of the earth, and cease to
live sooner than cease to love her; that he would sacrifice the
innocent fool who had been the occasion of all this disquiet, and
murder every man whom he considered as an obstruction to his views.
In a word, his passions, which had continued so long in a state of
the highest fermentation, together with the want of that repose which
calms and quiets the perturbation of the spirits, had wrought him
up to a pitch of real distraction. While he uttered these delirious
expressions, the tears ran down his cheeks; and he underwent such
agitation that the tender heart of the fair Fleming was affected
with his condition: and, while her own face was bedewed with
the streams of sympathy, she begged him, for Heaven's sake, to be
composed; and promised, for his satisfaction, to abate somewhat
of the rigour of her purpose. Consoled by this kind declaration,
he recollected himself; and, taking out his pencil, gave her his
address, when she had assured him, that he should hear from her in
four-and-twenty hours, at farthest, after their separation.

Thus soothed, he regained the empire of himself, and, by degrees,
recovered his serenity. But this was not the case with his Amanda,
who, from this sample of his disposition, dreaded the impetuosity
of his youth, and was effectually deterred from entering into any
engagements that might subject her peace and reputation to the rash
effects of such a violent spirit. Though she was captivated by his
person and accomplishments, she had reflection enough to foresee,
that the longer she countenanced his passion, her own heart would
be more and more irretrievably engaged, and the quiet of her life
the more exposed to continual interruption. She therefore profited
by these considerations, and a sense of religious honour, which
helped her to withstand the suggestions of inclination; and resolved
to amuse her lover with false hopes, until she should have it in her
power to relinquish his conversation, without running any risk of
suffering by the inconsiderate sallies of his love. It was with this
view that she desired he would not insist upon attending her to her
mother's house, when they arrived at Brussels; and he, cajoled by
her artifice, took a formal leave of her, together with the other
strangers, fixing his habitation at the inn to which he and his
fellow-travellers had been directed, in the impatient expectation
of receiving a kind summons from her within the limited time.

Meanwhile, in order to divert his imagination, he went to see
the stadthouse, park, and arsenal, took a superficial view of the
booksellers' cabinet of curiosities, and spent the evening at the
Italian opera, which was at that time exhibited for the entertainment
of Prince Charles of Lorraine, then governor of the Low Countries.
In short, the stated period was almost lapsed when Peregrine received
a letter to this purport:--

"Sir,--If you knew what violence I do my own heart, in
declaring, that I have withdrawn myself for ever from your
addresses, you would surely applaud the sacrifice I make to
virtue, and strive to imitate this example of self-denial.
Yes, sir, Heaven hath lent me grace to struggle with my guilty
passion, and henceforth to avoid the dangerous sight of him,
who inspired it. I therefore conjure you, by the regard you
ought to have to the eternal welfare of us both, as well as by
the esteem and affection you profess, to war with your unruly
inclination, and desist from all attempts of frustrating the
laudable resolution I have made. Seek not to invade the peace
of one who loves you, to disturb the quiet of a family that
never did you wrong, and to alienate the thoughts of a weak
woman from a deserving man, who, by the most sacred claim,
ought to have the full possession of her heart."


This billet, without either date or subscription, banished all
remains of discretion from the mind of our hero, who ran instantly
to the landlord in all the ecstasy of madness, and demanded to see
the messenger who brought the letter on pain of putting his whole
family to the sword. The innkeeper, terrified by his looks and
menaces, fell upon his knees, protesting in the face of Heaven that
he was utterly ignorant and innocent of anything that could give
him offence, and that the billet was brought by a person whom he
did not know, and who retired immediately, saying it required no
answer. He then gave utterance to his fury in a thousand imprecations
and invectives against the writer, whom he dishonoured with the
appellations of a coquette, a jilt, an adventurer, who, by means
of a pimping priest, had defrauded him of his money. He denounced
vengeance against the mendicant, whom he swore he would destroy if
ever he should set eyes on him again.

The painter unluckily appearing during this paroxysm of rage,
he seized him by the throat, saying he was ruined by his accursed
folly; and in all likelihood poor Pallet would have been strangled
had not Jolter interposed in his behalf, beseeching his pupil to
have mercy upon the sufferer, and, with infinite anxiety, desiring
to know the cause of this violent assault. He received no answer but
a string of incoherent curses. When the painter, with unspeakable
astonishment, took God to witness that he bad done nothing to
disoblige him, the governor began to think, in sad earnest, that
Peregrine's vivacity had at length risen to the transports of actual
madness, and was himself almost distracted with this supposition.
That he might the better judge what remedy ought to be applied,
he used his whole influence, and practised all his eloquence upon
the youth, in order to learn the immediate cause of his delirium.
He employed the most pathetic entreaties, and even shed tears in
the course of his supplication; so that Pickle, the first violence
of the hurricane being blown over, was ashamed of his own imprudence,
and retired to his chamber in order to recollect his dissipated
thoughts; there he shut himself up, and for the second time perusing
the fatal epistle, began to waver in his opinion of the author's
character and intention. He sometimes considered her as one of those
nymphs, who, under the mask of innocence and simplicity, practise
upon the hearts and purses of unwary and inexperienced youths:
this was the suggestion of his wrath inflamed by disappointment;
but when he reflected upon the circumstances of her behaviour, and
recalled her particular charms to his imagination, the severity
of his censure gave way and his heart declared in favour of her
sincerity.

Yet even this consideration aggravated the sense of his loss, and
he was in danger of relapsing into his former distraction, when
his passion was a little becalmed by the hope of seeing her again,
either by accident or in the course of a diligent and minute
inquiry, which he forthwith resolved to set on foot. He had reason
to believe that her own heart would espouse his cause in spite of
her virtue's determination; and did not despair of meeting with the
Capuchin, whose good offices he knew he could at any time command.
Comforted with these reflections, the tempest of his soul subsided.
In less than two hours he joined his company with an air of composure,
and asked the painter's forgiveness for the freedom he had taken,
the cause of which he promised hereafter to explain. Pallet was
glad of being reconciled on any terms to one whose countenance
supported him in equilibrio with his antagonist the doctor; and
Mr. Jolter was rejoiced beyond measure at his pupil's recovery.





CHAPTER LIX.




Peregrine meets with Mrs. Hornbeck, and is consoled for his Loss--His
Valet-de-chambre is embroiled with her Duenna, whom, however, he
finds means to appease.


Everything having thus resumed its natural channel, they dined
together in great tranquility. In the afternoon, Peregrine, on
pretence of staying at home to write letters, while his companions
were at the coffee-house, ordered a coach to be called, and, with
his valet-de-chambre, who was the only person acquainted with the
present state of his thoughts, set out for the promenade, to which
all the ladies of fashion resort in the evening during the summer
season, in hopes of seeing his fugitive among the rest.

Having made a circuit round the walk, and narrowly observed every
female in the place, he perceived at some distance the livery of
Hornbeck upon a lacquey that stood at the back of a coach; upon
which he ordered his man to reconnoitre the said carriage, while
he pulled up his glasses, that he might not be discovered before
he should have received some intelligence by which he might conduct
himself on this unexpected occasion, that already began to interfere
with the purpose of his coming thither, though it could not dispute
his attention with the idea of his charming unknown.

His Mercury, having made his observations, reported that there
was nobody in the coach but Mrs. Hornbeck and an elderly woman,
who had all the air of a duenna; and that the servant was not the
same footman who had attended them in France. Encouraged by this
information, our hero ordered himself to be driven close up to
that side of their convenience on which his old mistress sat, and
accosted her with the usual salutation. This lady no sooner beheld
her gallant than her cheeks reddened with a double glow, and she
exclaimed, "Dear brother, I am overjoyed to see you! Pray come into
our coach." He took the hint immediately, and, complying with her
request, embraced this new sister with great affection.

Perceiving that her attendant was very much surprised and alarmed
at this unexpected meeting, she, in order to banish her suspicion,
and at the same time give her lover his cue, told him that his
brother (meaning her husband) was gone to the Spa for a few weeks,
by the advice of physicians, on account of his ill state of health;
and that, from his last letter, she had the pleasure to tell him
he was in a fair way of doing well. The young gentleman expressed
his satisfaction at this piece of news; observing, with an air of
fraternal concern, that if his brother had not made too free with
his constitution, his friends in England would have had no occasion to
repine at his absence and want of health, by which he was banished
from his own country and connections. He then asked, with an
affectation of surprise, why she had not accompanied her spouse,
and was given to understand that his tenderness of affection would
not suffer him to expose her to the fatigues of the journey, which
lay among rocks that were almost inaccessible.

The duenna's doubts being eased by this preamble of conversation,
he changed the subject to the pleasures of the place; and, among
other such questions, inquired if she had as yet visited Versailles.
This is a public-house, situated upon the canal, at the distance of
about two miles from town, and accommodated with tolerable gardens,
for the entertainment of company. When she replied in the negative,
he proposed to accompany her thither immediately; but the governante,
who had hitherto sat silent, objected to this proposal; telling
them, in broken English, that as the lady was under her care, she
could not answer to Mr. Hornbeck for allowing her to visit such a
suspicious place. "As for that matter, madam," said the confident
gallant, "give yourself no trouble; the consequences shall be at
my peril; and I will undertake to insure you against my brother's
resentment." So saying, he directed the coachman to the place, and
ordered his own to follow, under the auspices of his valet-de-chambre;
while the old gentlewoman, overruled by his assurance, quietly
submitted to his authority.

Being arrived at the place, he handed the ladies from the coach,
and then, for the first time, observed that the duenna was lame,
a circumstance of which he did not scruple to take the advantage;
for they had scarce alighted, and drunk a glass of wine, when
he advised his sister to enjoy a walk in the garden; and although
the attendant made shift to keep them almost always in view, they
enjoyed a detached conversation, in which Peregrine learned that the
true cause of her being left behind at Brussels, whilst her husband
proceeded to Spa, was his dread of the company and familiarities of
that place, to which his jealousy durst not expose her; and that
she had lived three weeks in a convent at Lisle, from which she
was delivered by his own free motion, because indeed he could no
longer exist without her company; and, lastly, our lover understood
that her governante was a mere dragon, who had been recommended
to him by a Spanish merchant, whose wife she attended to her dying
day; but she very much questioned whether or not her fidelity was
proof enough against money and strong waters. Peregrine assured her
the experiment should be tried before parting; and they agreed to
pass the night at Versailles, provided his endeavours should succeed.

Having exercised themselves in this manner, until his duenna's spirits
were pretty much exhausted, that she might be the be the better
disposed to recruit them with a glass of liqueur, they returned to
their apartment, and the cordial was recommended and received in a
bumper; but as it did not produce such a visible alteration as the
sanguine hopes of Pickle had made him expect, and the old gentlewoman
observed that it began to be late, and that the gates would be shut
in a little time, he filled up a parting glass, and pledged her in
equal quantity. Her blood was too much chilled to be warmed even by
this extraordinary dose, which made immediate innovation in the brain
of our youth, who, in the gaiety of his imagination, overwhelmed
this she-Argus with such profusion of gallantry, that she was more
intoxicated with his expressions than with the spirits she had drunk.
When in the course of toying he dropped a purse into her bosom, she
seemed to forget how the night wore, and, with the approbation of
her charge, assented to his proposal of having something for supper.

This was a great point which our adventurer had gained; and yet
he plainly perceived that the governante mistook his meaning, by
giving herself credit for all the passion he had professed. As this
error could be rectified by no other means than those of plying
her with the bottle, until her distinguishing faculties should be
overpowered, he promoted a quick circulation. She did him justice,
without any manifest signs of inebriation, so long, that his own
eyes began to reel in the sockets, and he found that before his
scheme could be accomplished, he should be effectually unfitted
for all the purposes of love. He therefore had recourse to his
valet-de-chambre, who understood the hint as soon as it was given,
and readily undertook to perform the part of which his master had
played the prelude. This affair being settled to his satisfaction,
and the night at odds with morning, he took an opportunity of
imparting to the ear of this aged dulcinea a kind whisper, importing
a promise of visiting her when his sister should be retired to her
own chamber, and an earnest desire of leaving her door unlocked.

This agreeable intimation being communicated, he conveyed a caution
of the same nature to Mrs. Hornbeck, as he led her to her apartment;
and darkness and silence no sooner prevailed in the house, than
he and his trusted squire set out on their different voyages.
Everything would have succeeded according to their wish, had not
the valet-de-chambre suffered himself to fall asleep at the side of
his inamorata, and, in the agitation of a violent dream, exclaimed
in a voice so unlike that of her supposed adorer, that she
distinguished the difference at once. Waking him with a pinch and
a loud shriek, she threatened to prosecute him for a rape, and
reviled him with all the epithets her rage and disappointment could
suggest.

The Frenchman, finding himself detected, behaved with great temper
and address: be begged she would compose herself, on account of
her own reputation, which was extremely dear to him; protesting that
he had a most inviolable esteem for her person. His representations
had weight with the duenna, who, upon recollection, comprehended
the whole affair, and thought it would be her interest to bring
matters to an accommodation. She therefore admitted the apologies
of her bed-fellow, provided he would promise to atone by marriage
for the injury she had sustained; and in this particular he set her
heart at ease by repeated vows, which he uttered with surprising
volubility, though without any intention to perform the least title
of their contents.

Peregrine, who had been alarmed by her exclamation, and ran
to the door with a view of interposing according to the emergency
of the case, overhearing the affair thus compromised, returned to
his mistress, who was highly entertained with an account of what
had passed, foreseeing that for the future she should be under no
difficulty or restriction from the severity of her guard.

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