by T. Smollett
The Commodore detects the Machinations of the Conspirators, and hires atutor for Peregrine, whom he settles in Winchester School.
This was not the least affliction he had suffered from the unweariedendeavours and unexhausted invention of his tormentors, who harassed himwith such a variety of mischievous pranks, that he began to think allthe devils in hell had conspired against his peace; and accordinglybecame very serious and contemplative on the subject.
In the course of his meditations, when he recollected and comparedthe circumstances of every mortification to which he had been latelyexposed, he could not help suspecting that some of them must have beencontrived to vex him; and, as he was not ignorant of his lieutenant'sdisposition, nor unacquainted with the talents of Peregrine, heresolved to observe them both for the future with the utmost care andcircumspection. This resolution, aided by the incautious conduct ofthe conspirators, whom, by this time, success had rendered heedless andindiscreet, was attended with the desired effect. He in a little time,detected Perry in a new plot; and by dint of a little chastisement,and a great many threats, extorted from him a confession of allthe contrivances in which he had been concerned. The commodore wasthunderstruck at the discovery, and so much incensed against Hatchwayfor the part he had acted in the whole, that he deliberated withhimself, whether he should demand satisfaction with sword and pistol, ordismiss him from the garrison, and renounce all friendship with himat once. But he had been so long accustomed to Jack's company, that hecould not live without him; and upon more cool reflection, perceivingthat what he had done was rather the effect of wantonness than malice,which he himself would have laughed to see take place upon anyother person, he determined to devour his chagrin, and extended hisforgiveness even to Pipes, whom, in the first sally of his passion, hehad looked upon in a more criminal light than that of a simple mutineer.This determination was seconded by another, which he thought absolutelynecessary for his own repose, and in which his own interest, and that ofhis nephew, concurred.
Peregrine, who was now turned of twelve, had made such advances underthe instruction of Jennings, that he often disputed upon grammar, andwas sometimes thought to have the better in his contests, with theparish-priest, who, notwithstanding this acknowledged superiority ofhis antagonist, did great justice to his genius which he assured Mr.Trunnion would be lost for want of cultivation, if the boy was notimmediately sent to prosecute his studies at some proper seminary oflearning.
This maxim had been more than once inculcated upon the commodore by Mrs.Trunnion, who, over and above the deference she paid to the parson'sopinion, had a reason of her own for wishing to see the house clearof Peregrine, at whose prying disposition she began to be very uneasy.Induced by these motives, which were joined by the solicitation of theyouth himself, who ardently longed to see a little more of the world,his uncle determined to send him forthwith to Winchester, under theimmediate care and inspection of a governor, to whom he allowed a veryhandsome appointment for that purpose. This gentleman, whose name wasMr. Jacob Jolter, had been school-fellow with the parson of the parish,who recommended him to Mrs. Trunnion as a person of great worth andlearning, in every respect qualified for the office of a tutor. Helikewise added, by way of eulogium, that he was a man of exemplarypiety and particularly zealous for the honour of the church, of whichhe was a member, having been many years in holy orders, though he didnot then exercise any function of the priesthood. Indeed, Mr. Jolter'szeal was so exceedingly fervent, as, on some occasions, to get thebetter of his discretion; for, being a high churchman and of consequencea malcontent, his resentment was habituated into an insurmountableprejudice against the present disposition of affairs, which, byconfounding the nation with the ministry, sometimes led him intoerroneous, not to say absurd calculations; otherwise, a man of goodmorals, well versed in mathematics and school divinity, studies whichhad not at all contributed to sweeten and unbend the natural sournessand severity of his complexion.
This gentleman being destined to the charge of superintending Perry'seducation, everything was prepared for their departure; and Tom Pipes,in consequence of his own petition, put into livery, and appointedfootman to the young squire. But, before they set out, the commodorepaid the compliment of communicating his design to Mr. Pickle, whoapproved of the plan, though he durst not venture to see the boy; somuch was he intimidated by the remonstrances of his wife, whose aversionto her first-born became every day more inveterate and unaccountable.This unnatural caprice seemed to be supported by a consideration which,one would imagine, might have rather vanquished her disgust. Her secondson Gam, who was now in the fourth year of his age, had been ricketyfrom the cradle, and as remarkably unpromising in appearance as Perrywas agreeable in his person. As the deformity increased, the mother'sfondness was augmented, and the virulence of her hate against the otherson seemed to prevail in the same proportion.
Far from allowing Perry to enjoy the common privileges of a child,she would not suffer him to approach his father's house, expresseduneasiness whenever his name happened to be mentioned, sickened at hispraise, and in all respects behaved like a most rancorous step-mother.Though she no longer retained that ridiculous notion of his being animpostor, she still continued to abhor him, as if she really believedhim to be such; and when any person desired to know the cause of hersurprising dislike, she always lost her temper, and peevishly replied,that she had reasons of her own, which she was not obliged to declare:nay, so much was she infected by this vicious partiality, that she brokeoff all commerce with her sister-in-law and the commodore, because theyfavoured the poor child with their countenance and protection.
Her malice, however, was frustrated by the love and generosityof Trunnion, who, having adopted him as his own son, equipped himaccordingly, and carried him and his governor in his own coach to theplace of destination, where they were settled on a very genteel footing,and everything regulated according to their desires.
Mrs. Trunnion with great decency at the departure of her nephew, towhom, with a great many pious advices and injunctions to behave withsubmission and reverence towards his tutor, she presented a diamond ringof small value, and a gold medal, as tokens of her affection and esteem.As for the lieutenant, he accompanied them in the coach; and such wasthe friendship he had contracted for Perry, that when the commodoreproposed to return, after having accomplished the intent of his journey,Jack absolutely refused to attend him, and signified his resolution tostay where he was.
Trunnion was the more startled a this declaration, as Hatchway wasbecome so necessary to him in almost all the purposes of his life, thathe foresaw he should not be able to exist without his company. Not alittle affected with this consideration, he turned his eye ruefullyupon the lieutenant, saying, in a piteous tone, "What! leave me at last,Jack, after we have weathered so many hard gales together? D-- my limbs!I thought you had been more of an honest heart: I looked upon you as myforemast, and Tom Pipes as my mizen: now he is carried away, if so beas you go too, my standing rigging being decayed, d'ye see, the firstsquall will bring me by the board. D-- ye, if in case I have givenoffence, can't you speak above-board? and I shall make you amends."
Jack, being ashamed to own the true situation of his thoughts, aftersome hesitation, answered with perplexity and incoherence, "No, d--me! that an't the case neither: to be sure you always used me in anofficer-like manner, that I must own, to give the devil his due, as thesaying is; but for all that, this here is the case, I have some thoughtsof going to school myself to learn your Latin lingo: for, as the sayingis, Better late mend than never: and I am informed as how one can getmore for the money here than anywhere else."
In vain did Trunnion endeavour to convince him of the folly of going toschool at his years, by representing that the boys would make game ofhim, and that he would become a laughing-stock to all the world: hepersisted in his resolution to stay, and the commodore was fain tohave recourse to the mediation of Pipes and Perry, who employed theirinfluence with Jack, and at last prevailed upon him to return to the
garrison, after Trunnion had promised he should be at liberty to visitthem once a month. This stipulation being settled, he and his friendtook leave of the pupil, governor, and attendant, and next morning, setout for their habitation, which they reached in safety that same night.
Such was Hatchway's reluctance to leave Peregrine, that he is said, forthe first time in his life, to have looked misty at parting: certain Iam, that on the road homewards, after a long pause of silence, which thecommodore never dreamt of interrupting, he exclaimed all of a sudden,"I'll be d--d if the dog ha'nt given me some stuff to make me love him!"Indeed, there was something congenial in the disposition of these twofriends, which never failed to manifest itself in the sequel, howsoeverdifferent their education, circumstances, and connections happened tobe.
CHAPTER XVI.