The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle

by T. Smollett

  He prevails upon Emilia to accompany him to a Masquerade, makes atreacherous Attempt upon her Affection, and meets with a deservedRepulse.

  Scarce a night elapsed in which he did not conduct her to some publicentertainment. When, by the dint of his insidious carriage, he thoughthimself in full possession of her confidence and affection, he lay inwait for an opportunity; and, hearing her observe in conversation, thatshe had never been at a masquerade, begged leave to attend her to thenext ball; at the same time extending his invitation to the young ladyin whose company he had found her at the play, she being present whenthis subject of discourse was introduced. He had flattered himself,that this gentlewoman would decline the proposal, as she was a personseemingly of a demure disposition, who had been born and bred in thecity, where such diversions are looked upon as scenes of lewdness anddebauchery. For once, however, he reckoned without his host; curiosityis as prevalent in the city as at the court end of the town. Emilia nosooner signified her assent to his proposal, than her friend, with anair of satisfaction, agreed to make one of the party; and he was obligedto thank her for that complaisance, which laid him under infinitemortification. He set his genius at work to invent some scheme forpreventing her unseasonable intrusion. Had an opportunity offered, hewould have acted as her physician, and administered a medicine thatwould have laid her under the necessity of staying at home. But hisacquaintance with her being too slight to furnish him with the means ofexecuting this expedient, he devised another, which was practised withall imaginable success. Understanding that her grandmother had left hera sum of money independent of her parents, he conveyed a letter toher mother, intimating, that her daughter, on pretence of going to themasquerade, intended to bestow herself in marriage to a certain person,and that in a few days she would be informed of the circumstances ofthe whole intrigue, provided she would keep this information secret,and contrive some excuse for detaining the young lady at home, withoutgiving her cause to believe she was apprised of her intention. Thisbillet, subscribed "Your well-wisher, and unknown humble servant,"had the desired effect upon the careful matron, who, on the ball day,feigned herself so extremely ill, that Miss could not with any decencyquit her mamma's apartment; and therefore sent her apology to Emilia inthe afternoon, immediately after the arrival of Peregrine, who pretendedto be very much afflicted with the disappointment, while his heartthrobbed with a transport of joy.

  About ten o'clock the lovers set out for the Haymarket, he being dressedin the habit of Pantaloon, and she in that of Columbine; and they hadscarce entered the house when the music struck up, the curtain waswithdrawn, and the whole scene displayed at once, to the admiration ofEmilia, whose expectation was infinitely surpassed by this exhibition.Our gallant having conducted her through all the different apartments,and described the economy of the place, led her into the circle, and, intheir turn, they danced several minuets; then going to the sideboard,he prevailed upon her to eat some sweetmeats and drink a glass ofchampagne. After a second review of the company, they engaged in countrydances, at which exercise they continued until our adventurer concludedthat his partner's blood was sufficiently warm for the prosecution ofhis design. On this supposition, which was built upon her declaringthat she was thirsty and fatigued, he persuaded her to take a littlerefreshment and repose; and, for that purpose, handed her downstairsinto the eating-room, where, having seated her on the floor, hepresented her with a glass of wine and water; and, as she complained ofbeing faint, enriched the draught with some drops of a certain elixir,which he recommended as a most excellent restorative, though it was noother than a stimulating tincture, which he had treacherously providedfor the occasion. Having swallowed this potion, by which her spiritswere manifestly exhilarated, she ate a slice of ham, with the wing of acold pullet, and concluded the meal with a glass of burgundy, whichshe drank at the earnest entreaty of her admirer. These extraordinarycordials co-operating with the ferment of her blood, which was heated byviolent motion, could not fail to affect the constitution of a delicateyoung creature, who was naturally sprightly and volatile. Her eyes beganto sparkle with unusual fire and vivacity, a thousand brilliant salliesof wit escaped her, and every mask that accosted her underwent somesmarting repartee.

  Peregrine, overjoyed at the success of his administration, proposed thatthey should resume their places at the country dances, with a view topromote and assist the efficacy of his elixir; and, when he thought herdisposition was properly adapted for the theme, began to ply her withall the elocution of love. In order to elevate his own spirits tothat pitch of resolution which his scheme required, he drank two wholebottles of burgundy, which inflamed his passion to such a degree, thathe found himself capable of undertaking and perpetrating any scheme forthe gratification of his desire.

  Emilia, warmed by so many concurring incentives, in favour of the manshe loved, abated considerably of her wonted reserve, listened to hisprotestations with undissembled pleasure, and, in the confidence of hersatisfaction, even owned him absolute master of her affections. Ravishedwith this confession, he now deemed himself on the brink of reaping thedelicious fruits of his art and assiduity; and the morning being alreadypretty far advanced, assented with rapture to the first proposal shemade of retiring to her lodgings. The blinds of the chariot being pulledup, he took advantage of the favourable situation of her thoughts;and, on pretence of being whimsical, in consequence of the wine he hadswallowed, clasped her in his arms, and imprinted a thousand kisseson her pouting lips, a freedom which she pardoned as the privilege ofintoxication. While he thus indulged himself with impunity, the carriagehalted, and Pipes opening the door, his master handed her into thepassage, before she perceived that it was not her uncle's house at whichthey had alighted.

  Alarmed at this discovery, she, with some confusion, desired to know hisreason for conducting her to a strange place at these hours. But he madeno reply, until he had led her into an apartment, when he gave her tounderstand, that, as her uncle's family must be disturbed by her goingthither so late in the night, and the streets near Temple-bar wereinfested by a multitude of robbers and cut-throats, he had ordered hiscoachman to halt at this house, which was kept by a relation of his, amighty good sort of a gentlewoman, who would be proud of an opportunityto accommodate a person for whom he was known to entertain suchtenderness and esteem.

  Emilia had too much penetration to be imposed upon by this plausiblepretext. In spite of her partiality for Peregrine, which had never beeninflamed to such a pitch of complacency before, she comprehended hiswhole plan in a twinkling. Though her blood boiled with indignation, shethanked him with an affected air of serenity for his kind concern, andexpressed her obligation to his cousin; but, at the same time, insistedupon going home, lest her absence should terrify her uncle and aunt,who, she knew, would not retire to rest till her return.

  He urged her, with a thousand remonstrances, to consult her own ease andsafety, promising to send Pipes into the city, for the satisfaction ofher relations. But, finding her obstinately deaf to his entreaties, heassured her, that he would, in a few minutes, comply with her request;and, in the meantime, begged she would fortify herself against the coldwith a cordial, which he poured out in her presence, and which, now thather suspicion was aroused, she refused to taste, notwithstanding allhis importunities. He then fell on his knees before her, and the tearsgushing from his eyes, swore that his passion was wound up to such apitch of impatience, that he could no longer live upon the unsubstantialfood of expectation; and that, if she would not vouchsafe to crown hishappiness, he would forthwith sacrifice himself to her disdain. Such anabrupt address, accompanied with all the symptoms of frantic agitation,could not fail to perplex and affright the gentle Emilia, who, aftersome recollection, replied with a resolute tone, that she could notsee what reason he had to complain of her reserve, which she was notat liberty to lay entirely aside, until he should have avowed hisintentions in form, and obtained the sanction of those whom it washer duty to obey. "Divine creature!" cried he, seizing her hand,and p
ressing it to his lips, "it is from you alone I hope for thatcondescension, which would overwhelm me with the transports of celestialbliss. The sentiments of parents are sordid, silly, and confined. Imean not then to subject my passion to such low restrictions as werecalculated for the purposes of common life. My love is too delicate andrefined to wear those vulgar fetters, which serve only to destroy themerit of voluntary affection, and to upbraid a man incessantly with thearticles of compulsion, under which he lies. My dear angel! spare me themortification of being compelled to love you, and reign sole empressof my heart and fortune. I will not affront you so much as to talk ofsettlements; my all is at your disposal. In this pocket-book are notesto the amount of two thousand pounds; do me the pleasure to accept ofthem; to-morrow I will lay ten thousand more in your lap. In a word, youshall be mistress of my whole estate, and I shall think myself happy inliving dependent on your bounty!"

  Heavens! what were the emotions of the virtuous, the sensible, thedelicate, the tender Emilia's heart, when she heard this insolentdeclaration from the mouth of a man whom she had honoured with heraffection and esteem! It was not simply horror, grief, or indignation,that she felt, in consequence of this unworthy treatment, but the unitedpangs of all together, which produced a sort of hysteric laughter, whileshe told him that she could not help admiring his generosity.

  Deceived by this convulsion, and the ironical compliment that attendedit, the lover thought he had already made great progress in hisoperations, and that it was now his business to storm the fort by avigorous assault, that he might spare her the confusion of yieldingwithout resistance. Possessed by this vain suggestion, he started up,and, folding her in his arms, began to obey the furious dictates of hisunruly and ungenerous desire. With an air of cool determination, shedemanded a parley; and when, upon her repeated request, he granted it,addressed herself to him in these words, while her eyes gleamed with allthe dignity of the most awful resentment:--

  "Sir, I scorn to upbraid you with a repetition of your former vowsand protestations, nor will I recapitulate the little arts you havepractised to ensnare my heart; because, though by dint of the mostperfidious dissimulation you have found means to deceive my opinion,your utmost efforts have never been able to lull the vigilance of myconduct, or to engage my affection beyond the power of discarding youwithout a tear, whenever my honour should demand such a sacrifice.Sir, you are unworthy of my concern or regret, and the sigh that nowstruggles from my breast is the result of sorrow, for my own want ofdiscernment. As for your present attempt upon my chastity, I despiseyour power, as I detest your intention. Though, under the mask of themost delicate respect, you have decoyed me from the immediate protectionof my friends, and contrived other impious stratagems to ruin mypeace and reputation, I confide too much in my own innocence, and theauthority of the law, to admit one thought of fear, much less to sinkunder the horror of this shocking situation, into which I have beenseduced. Sir, your behaviour on this occasion is, in all respects, lowand contemptible. For, ruffian as you are, you durst not harbour thethought of executing your execrable scheme, while you knew my brotherwas near enough to prevent or revenge the insult; so that you must notonly be a treacherous villain, but also a most despicable coward."

  Having expressed herself in this manner, with a most majestic severityof aspect, she opened the door, and walking down-stairs withsurprising resolution, committed herself to the care of a watchman, whoaccommodated her with a hackney-chair, in which she was safely conveyedto her uncle's house.

  Meanwhile, the lover was so confounded and overawed by these cuttingreproaches, and her animated behaviour, that all his resolution forsookhim, and he found himself not only incapable of obstructing her retreat,but even of uttering one syllable to deprecate her wrath, or extenuatethe guilt of his own conduct. The nature of his disappointment, and thekeen remorse that seized him, when he reflected upon the dishonourablefooting on which his character stood with Emilia, raised suchperturbation in his mind, that his silence was succeeded by a violentfit of distraction, during which he raved like a bedlamite, and acteda thousand extravagancies, which convinced the people of the house, acertain bagnio, that he had actually lost his wits. Pipes, with greatconcern, adopted the same opinion; and, being assisted by the waiters,hindered him, by main force, from running out and pursuing the fairfugitive, whom, in his delirium, he alternately cursed and commendedwith horrid imprecations and lavish applause. His faithful valet,having waited two whole hours, in hopes of seeing this gust of passionoverblown, and perceiving that the paroxysm seemed rather to increase,very prudently sent for a physician of his master's acquaintance,who, having considered the circumstances and symptoms of the disorder,directed that he should be plentifully blooded, without loss of time,and prescribed a draught to compose the tumult of his spirits. Theseorders being punctually performed, he grew more calm and tractable,recovered his reflection so far as to be ashamed of the ecstasy he hadundergone, and suffered himself quietly to be undressed and put tobed, where the fatigue occasioned by his exercise at the masqueradeco-operated with the present dissipation of his spirits to lull himinto a profound sleep, which greatly tended to the preservation of hisintellects. Not that he found himself in a state of perfect tranquilitywhen he waked about noon. The remembrance of what had passed overwhelmedhim with mortification. Emilia's invectives still sounded in his ears.And, while he deeply resented her disdain, he could not help admiringher spirit, and his heart did homage to her charms.

  CHAPTER LXXVII.