by T. Smollett
He inquires into the Situation of this young Lady, with whom he isenamoured--Elopes from School--Is found by the Lieutenant, conveyed toWinchester, and sends a Letter with a copy of verses to his Mistress.
He was transported with pleasure at this invitation, which he assuredher he should not neglect; and after a little more conversation ongeneral topics, took his leave of the charming Emilia and her prudentmamma, who had perceived the first emotions of Mr. Pickle's passion forher daughter, and been at some pains to inquire about his family andfortune.
Neither was Peregrine less inquisitive about the situation and pedigreeof his new mistress, who, he learned, was the only daughter of afield-officer, who died before he had it in his power to make suitableprovision for his children; that the widow lived in a frugal thoughdecent manner on her pension, assisted by the bounty of her relations;that the son carried arms as a volunteer in the company which his fatherhad commanded; and that Emilia had been educated in London, at theexpense of a rich uncle, who was seized with the whim of marrying at theage of fifty-five; in consequence of which his niece had returned to hermother, without any visible dependence, except on her own conduct andqualifications.
This account, though it could not diminish his affection, neverthelessalarmed his pride; for his warm imagination had exaggerated all his ownprospects; and he began to fear that his passion for Emilia might bethought to derogate from the dignity of his situation. The strugglebetween his interest and love produced a perplexity which had an evidenteffect upon his behaviour: he became pensive, solitary, and peevish;avoided public diversions; and grew so remarkably negligent in hisdress, that he was scarce distinguishable by his own acquaintance. Thiscontention of thoughts continued several weeks, at the end of whichthe charms of Emilia triumphed over every other consideration. Havingreceived a supply of money from the commodore, who acted towards himwith great generosity, he ordered Pipes to put up some linen and othernecessaries in a sort of knapsack, which he could conveniently carry;and, thus attended, set out early one morning on foot for the villagewhere his charmer lived, at which he arrived before two o'clock in theafternoon; having chosen this method of travelling that his route mightnot be so easily discovered, as it must have been had he hired horses,or taken a place in the stage-coach.
The first thing he did was to secure a convenient lodging at the innwhere he dined; then he shifted himself, and, according to the directionhe had received, went to the house of Mrs. Gauntlet in a transport ofjoyous expectation. As he approached the gate, his agitation increased;he knocked with impatience and concern, the door opened, and he hadactually asked if Mrs. Gauntlet was at home, before he perceived thatthe portress was no other than his dear Emilia. She was not withoutemotion at the unexpected sight of her lover, who instantly recognisinghis charmer obeyed the irresistible impulse of his love, and caught thefair creature in his arms. Nor did she seem offended at this forwardnessof behaviour, which might have displeased another of a less opendisposition, or less used to the freedom of a sensible education; buther natural frankness had been encouraged and improved by the easy andfamiliar intercourse in which she had been bred; and therefore, insteadof reprimanding him with a severity of look, she with great good humourrallied him upon his assurance, which, she observed, was undoubtedlythe effect of his own conscious merit; and conducted him into a parlour,where he found her mother, who, in very polite terms, expressed hersatisfaction at seeing him within her house.
After tea, Miss Emy proposed an evening walk, which they enjoyed througha variety of little copses and lawns, watered by a most romantic stream,that quite enchanted the imagination of Peregrine.
It was late before they returned from this agreeable excursion, and whenour lover wished the ladies good night, Mrs. Gauntlet insisted upon hisstaying to supper, and treated him with particular demonstrationsof regard and affection. As her economy was not encumbered with anunnecessary number of domestics, her own presence was often required indifferent parts of the house, so that the young gentleman was suppliedwith frequent opportunities of promoting his suit by all the tenderoaths and insinuations that his passion could suggest. He protested heridea had taken such entire possession of his heart, that findinghimself unable to support her absence one day longer, he had quittedhis studies, and left his governor by stealth, that he might visit theobject of his adoration, and be blessed in her company for a few dayswithout interruption.
She listened to his addresses with such affability as denotedapprobation and delight, and gently chided him as a thoughtless truant,but carefully avoided the confession of a mutual flame; because shediscerned, in the midst of all his tenderness, a levity of pride whichshe durst not venture to trust with such a declaration. Perhaps shewas confirmed in this caution by her mother, who very wisely, in hercivilities to him, maintained a sort of ceremonious distance, which shethought not only requisite for the honour and interest of her family,but likewise for her own exculpation, should she ever be taxed withhaving encouraged or abetted him in the imprudent sallies of his youth;yet, notwithstanding this affected reserve, he was treated with suchdistinction by both, that he was ravished with his situation, and becamemore and more enamoured every day.
While he remained under the influence of this sweet intoxication,his absence produced great disturbance at Winchester. Mr. Jolter wasgrievously afflicted at his abrupt departure, which alarmed him themore, as it happened after a long fit of melancholy which he hadperceived in his pupil. He communicated his apprehensions to the masterof the school, who advised him to apprise the commodore of his nephew'sdisappearance, and in the mean time inquire at all the inns intown, whether he had hired horses, or any sort of carriage, for hisconveyance, or was met with on the road by any person who could give anaccount of the direction in which he travelled.
The scrutiny, though performed with great diligence and minuteness,was altogether ineffectual; they could obtain no intelligence of therunaway. Mr. Trunnion was well distracted at the news of his flight; heraved with great fury at the imprudence of Peregrine, whom in his firsttransports he d--d as an ungrateful deserter; then he cursed Hatchwayand Pipes, who he swore had foundered the lad by their perniciouscounsels; and, lastly, transferred his execrations upon Jolter, becausehe had not kept a better look-out; finally, he made an apostrophe tothat son of a b-- the gout, which for the present disabled him fromsearching for his nephew in person. That he might not, however, neglectany means in his power, he immediately despatched expresses to all thesea-port towns on that coast, that he might be prevented from leavingthe kingdom; and the lieutenant, at his own desire, was sent across thecountry, in quest of this young fugitive.
Four days had he unsuccessfully carried on his inquiries with greataccuracy, when, resolving to return by Winchester, where he hoped tomeet with some hints of intelligence by which he might profit in hisfuture search, he struck off the common road to take the benefit of anearer cut; and finding himself benighted near a village, took uphis lodgings at the first inn to which his horse directed him. Havingbespoke something for supper, and retired to his chamber, where heamused himself with a pipe, he heard a confused noise of rustic jollity,which being all of a sudden interrupted, after a short pause his earwas saluted with the voice of Pipes, who, at the solicitation of thecompany, began to entertain them with a song.
Hatchway instantly recognised the well-known sound, in which, indeed,he could not possibly be mistaken, as nothing in nature bore the leastresemblance to it; he threw his pipe into the chimney, and, snatchingup one of his pistols, ran immediately to the apartment from whencethe voice issued; he no sooner entered, than, distinguishing his oldship-mate in a crowd of country peasants, he in a moment sprang uponhim, and, clapping his pistol to his breast, exclaimed, " D--n you,Pipes, you are a dead man, if you don't immediately produce youngmaster."
This menacing application had a much greater effect upon the companythan upon Tom, who, looking at the lieutenant with great tranquility,replied, "Why so I can, Master Hatchway."--"What! safe and sound?" crie
dthe other. "As a roach," answered Pipes, so much to the satisfactionof his friend Jack, that he shook him by the hand, and desired himto proceed with his song. This being performed and the reckoningdischarged, the two friends adjourned to the other room, where thelieutenant was informed of the manner in which the young gentleman hadmade his elopement from college, as well as of the other particulars ofhis present situation, as far as they had fallen within the sphere ofhis comprehension.
While they sat thus conferring together, Peregrine, having takenleave of his mistress for the night, came home, and was not a littlesurprised, when Hatchway, entering his chamber in his sea attitude,thrust out his hand by way of salutation. His old pupil received him asusual, with great cordiality, and expressed his astonishment at meetinghim in that place; but when he understood the cause and intention ofhis arrival, he started with concern; and, his visage glowing withindignation, told him he was old enough to be judge of his own conduct,and, when he should see it convenient, would return of himself; butthose who thought he was to be compelled to his duty, would findthemselves egregiously mistaken.
The lieutenant assured him, that for his own part he had no intention tooffer him the least violence; but, at the same time, he representedto him the danger of incensing the commodore, who was already almostdistracted on account of his absence: and, in short, conveyed hisarguments, which were equally obvious and valid, in such expressions offriendship and respect, that Peregrine yielded to his remonstrances, andpromised to accompany him next day to Winchester.
Hatchway, overjoyed at the success of his negotiation, went immediatelyto the hostler and bespoke a post-chaise for Mr. Pickle and his man withwhom he afterwards indulged himself in a double can of rumbo, and, whenthe night was pretty far advanced, left the lover to his repose, orrather to the thorns of his own meditation; for he slept not one moment,being incessantly tortured with the prospect of parting with his divineEmilia, who had now acquired the most absolute empire over his soul. Oneminute he proposed to depart early in the morning, without seeing thisenchantress, in whose bewitching presence he durst not trust his ownresolution; then the thoughts of leaving her in such an abrupt anddisrespectful manner interposed in favour of his love and honour. Thiswar of sentiments kept him all night upon the rack, and it was time torise before he had determined to visit his charmer, and candidly impartthe motives that induced him to leave her.
He accordingly repaired to her mother's house with a heavy heart, beingattended to the gate by Hatchway, who did not choose to leave him alone;and being admitted, found Emilia just risen, and, in his opinion, morebeautiful than ever.
Alarmed at his early visit, and the gloom that overspread hiscountenance, she stood in silent expectation of hearing some melancholytidings; and it was not till after a considerable pause, that hecollected resolution enough to tell her he was come to take hisleave. Though she strove to conceal her sorrow, nature was not to besuppressed: every feature of her countenance saddened in a moment; andit was not without the utmost difficulty that she kept her lovely eyesfrom overflowing. He saw the situation of her thoughts, and, in order toalleviate her concern, assured her he should find means to see heragain in a very few weeks: meanwhile he communicated his reasons fordeparting, in which she readily acquiesced; and having mutually consoledeach other, their transports of grief subsided: and before Mrs. Gauntletcame downstairs, they were in a condition to behave with great decencyand resignation.
This good lady expressed her concern when she learned his resolution,saying, she hoped his occasions and inclinations would permit him tofavour them with his agreeable company another time.
The lieutenant, who began to be uneasy at Peregrine's stay, knockedat the door, and, being introduced by his friend, had the honour ofbreakfasting with the ladies; on which occasion his heart received sucha rude shock from the charms of Emilia, that he afterwards made a meritwith his friend of having constrained himself so far, as to forbearcommencing his professed rival.
At length they bade adieu to their kind entertainers; and in lessthan an hour setting out from the inn, arrived about two o'clockin Winchester, where Mr. Jolter was overwhelmed with joy at theirappearance.
The nature of this adventure being unknown to all except those who couldbe depended upon, everybody who inquired about the cause of Peregrine'sabsence, was told that he had been with a relation in the country, andthe master condescended to overlook his indiscretion; so that Hatchway,seeing everything settled to the satisfaction of his friend, returned tothe garrison, and gave the commodore an account of his expedition.
The old gentleman was very much startled when he heard there was a ladyin the case, and very emphatically observed, that a man had better besucked into the gulf of Florida than once get into the indraught of awoman; because, in one case, he may with good pilotage bring out hisvessel safe between the Bahamas and the Indian shore; but in the otherthere is no outlet at all, and it is in vain to strive against thecurrent; so that of course he must be embayed, and run chuck upon alee-shore. He resolved, therefore, to lay the state of the case beforeGamaliel Pickle, and concert such measures with him as should be thoughtlikeliest to detach his son from the pursuit of an idle amour, whichcould not fail of interfering in a dangerous manner with the plan of hiseducation.
In the mean time, Perry's ideas were totally engrossed by his amiablemistress, who, whether he slept or waked, was still present in hisimagination, which produced the following stanzas in her praise:--
Adieu! ye streams that smoothly flow; Ye vernal airs that softly blow; Ye plains, by blooming spring arrayed; Ye birds that warble through the shade.
Unhurt from you my soul could fly, Nor drop one tear, nor heave one sigh; But forced from Celia's charms to part, All joy deserts my drooping heart.
O' fairer than the rosy morn, When flowers the dewy fields adorn; Unsallied as the genial ray, That warms the balmy breeze of May;
Thy charms divinely bright appear, And add new splendour to the year; Improve the day with fresh delight, And gild with joy the dreary night.
This juvenile production was enclosed in a very tender billet to Emilia,and committed to the charge of Pipes, who was ordered to set out forMrs. Gauntlet's habitation with a present of venison, and a complimentto the ladies; and directed to take some opportunity of delivering theletter to miss, without the knowledge of her mamma.
CHAPTER XIX.