The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle
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He prosecutes his Design upon Emilia with great Art and Perseverance.
Our adventurer, having by his hypocrisy obtained free access to hismistress, began the siege by professing the most sincere contritionfor his former levity, and imploring her forgiveness with such earnestsupplication, that, guarded as she was against his flattering arts, shebegan to believe his protestations, which were even accompanied withtears, and abated a good deal of that severity and distance she hadproposed to maintain during this interview. She would not, however,favour him with the least acknowledgment of a mutual passion, because,in the midst of his vows of eternal constancy and truth, he did notmention one syllable of wedlock, though he was now entirely master ofhis own conduct, and this consideration created a doubt, which fortifiedher against all his attacks. Yet, what her discretion would haveconcealed, was discovered by her eyes, which, in spite of all herendeavours, breathed forth complacency and love; for her inclinationwas flattered by her own self-sufficiency, which imputed her admirer'ssilence in that particular to the hurry and perturbation of his spirits,and persuaded her that he could not possibly regard her with any otherthan honourable intentions.
The insidious lover exulted in the tenderness of her looks, from whichhe presaged a complete victory; but, that he might not overshoothimself by his own precipitation, he would not run the risk of declaringhimself, until her heart should be so far entangled within his snares,as that neither the suggestions of honour, prudence, nor pride, shouldbe able to disengage it. Armed with this resolution, he restrainedthe impatience of his temper within the limits of the most delicatedeportment. After having solicited and obtained permission to attendher to the next opera, he took her by the hand, and, pressing it to hislips, in the most respectful manner, went away, leaving her in a mostwhimsical state of suspense, chequered with an interesting vicissitudeof hope and fear. On the appointed day, he appeared again about fiveo'clock in the afternoon, and found her native charms so much improvedby the advantages of dress, that he was transported with admirationand delight; and, while he conducted her to the Haymarket, could scarcebridle the impetuosity of his passion, so as to observe the forbearingmaxims he had adopted. When she entered the pit, he had abundance offood for the gratification of his vanity; for, in a moment, she eclipsedall the female part of the audience; each individual allowing in her ownheart that the stranger was by far the handsomest woman there present,except herself.
Here it was that our hero enjoyed a double triumph; he was vain of thisopportunity to enhance his reputation for gallantry among the ladies offashion who knew him, and proud of an occasion to display his qualityacquaintance to Emilia, that she might entertain the greater idea of theconquest she had made, and pay the more deference to his importance inthe sequel of his addresses. That he might profit as much as possibleby this situation, he went up and accosted every person in the pit,with whom he ever had least communication, whispered and laughed with anaffected air of familiarity, and even bowed at a distance to some of thenobility, on the slender foundation of having stood near them at court,or presented them with a pinch of rappee at White's chocolate-house.
This ridiculous ostentation, though now practised with a view ofpromoting his design, was a weakness that, in some degree, infectedthe whole of his behaviour; for nothing gave him so much joy inconversation, as an opportunity of giving the company to understand howwell he was with persons of distinguished rank and character. He wouldoften, for example, observe, as it were occasionally, that the Duke ofG-- was one of the best-natured men in the world, and illustrate thisassertion by some instance of his affability, in which he himself wasconcerned. Then, by an abrupt transition, he would repeat some reparteeof Lady T--, and mention a certain bon mot of the Earl of C--, which wasuttered in his hearing.
Abundance of young men in this manner make free with the names, thoughthey have never had access to the persons of the nobility; but this wasnot the case with Peregrine, who, in consideration of his appearance andsupposed fortune, together with the advantage of his introduction, was,by this time, freely admitted to the tables of the great.
In his return with Emilia from the opera, though he still maintainedthe most scrupulous decorum in his behaviour, he plied her with the mostpassionate expressions of love, squeezed her hand with great fervency,protested that his whole soul was engrossed by her idea, and that hecould not exist independent of her favour. Pleased as she was with hiswarm and pathetic addresses, together with the respectful manner of hismaking love, she yet had prudence and resolution sufficient to containher tenderness, which was ready to run over; being fortified againsthis arts, by reflecting, that, if his aim was honourable, it was now hisbusiness to declare it. On this consideration, she refused to make anyserious reply to his earnest expostulations, but affected to receivethem as the undetermined effusions of gallantry and good breeding.
This fictitious gaiety and good-humour, though it baffled his hopeof extorting from her an acknowledgment of which he might have takenimmediate advantage, nevertheless encouraged him to observe, as thechariot passed along the Strand, that the night was far advanced; thatsupper would certainly be over before they could reach her uncle'shouse; and to propose that he should wait upon her to some place, wherethey might be accommodated with a slight refreshment. She was offendedat the freedom of this proposal, which, however, she treated as a joke,thanking him for his courteous offer, and assuring him, that when sheshould be disposed for a tavern treat, he alone would have the honour ofbestowing it.
Her kinsman being engaged with company abroad, and her aunt retired torest, he had the good fortune to enjoy a tete-a-tete with her duringa whole hour, which he employed with such consummate skill, that hercaution was almost overcome. He not only assailed her with the artilleryof sighs, vows, prayers, and tears, but even pawned his honour in behalfof his love. He swore, with many imprecations, that although her heartwas surrendered to him at discretion, there was a principle within him,which would never allow him to injure such innocence and beauty; and thetransports of his passion had, upon this occasion so far overshot hispurpose, that if she had demanded an explanation while he was thusagitated, he would have engaged himself to her wish by such ties ashe could not break with any regard to his reputation. But from suchexpostulation she was deterred, partly by pride, and partly by thedread of finding herself mistaken in such an interesting conjecture.She therefore enjoyed the present flattering appearance of her fate, wasprevailed upon to accept the jewels which he purchased with part of hiswinning at Bath, and, with the most enchanting condescension, submittedto a warm embrace when he took his leave, after having obtainedpermission to visit her as often as his inclination and conveniencewould permit.
In his return to his own lodgings, he was buoyed up with his success toan extravagance of hope, already congratulated himself upon his triumphover Emilia's virtue, and began to project future conquests among themost dignified characters of the female sex. But his attention was notat all dissipated by these vain reflections; he resolved to concentratethe whole exertion of his soul upon the execution of his present plan,desisted, in the meantime, from all other schemes of pleasure, interest,and ambition, and took lodgings in the city, for the more commodiousaccomplishment of his purpose. While our lover's imagination was thusagreeably regaled, his mistress did not enjoy her expectations withoutthe intervention of doubts and anxiety. His silence, touching thefinal aim of his addresses, was a mystery on which she was afraid ofexercising her sagacity; and her uncle tormented her with inquiries intothe circumstances of Peregrine's professions and deportment. Rather thangive this relation the least cause for suspicion, which must have cutoff all intercourse betwixt her and her admirer, she said everythingwhich she thought would satisfy his care and concern for her welfare;and, in consequence of such representation, she enjoyed, withoutreserve, the company of our adventurer, who prosecuted his plan withsurprising eagerness and perseverance.
CHAPTER LXXVI.