by T. Smollett
He projects a violent Scheme, in consequence of which he is involved ina most fatiguing Adventure, which greatly tends towards the Augmentationof his Chagrin.
Thus debarred of personal communication with his mistress, he essayedto retrieve her good graces by the most submissive and pathetic letters,which he conveyed by divers artifices to her perusal; but, reaping nomanner of benefit from these endeavours, his passion acquired a degreeof impatience little inferior to downright frenzy; and he determined torun every risk of life, fortune, and reputation, rather than desistfrom his unjustifiable pursuit. Indeed, his resentment was now as deeplyconcerned as his love, and each of these passions equally turbulent andloud in demanding gratification. He kept sentinels continually in pay,to give him notice of her outgoings, in expectation of finding someopportunity to carry her off; but her circumspection entirelyfrustrated this design, for she suspected everything of that sort from adisposition like his, and regulated her motions accordingly.
Baffled by her prudence and penetration, he altered his plan. Onpretence of being called to his country house by some affair ofimportance, he departed from London, and, taking lodgings at a farmer'shouse that stood near the road through which she must have necessarilypassed in her return to her mother, concealed himself from allintercourse, except with his valet-de-chambre and Pipes, who had ordersto scour the country, and reconnoitre every horse, coach, or carriage,that should appear on that highway, with a view of intercepting hisEmilia in her passage.
He had waited in this ambuscade a whole week, when his valet gave himnotice, that he and his fellow-scout had discovered a chaise-and-six,driving at full speed towards them; upon which they had flapped theirhats over their eyes, so as they might not be known, in case they shouldbe seen, and concealed themselves behind a hedge, from whence they couldperceive in the carriage, as it passed, a young man plainly dressed,with a lady in a mask, of the exact size, shape, and air of Emilia;and that Pipes followed them at a distance, while he rode back tocommunicate this piece of intelligence.
Peregrine would scarce allow him time to conclude his information. Heran down to the stable, where his horse was kept ready saddled for thepurpose, and, never doubting that the lady in question was his mistress,attended by one of her uncle's clerks, mounted immediately, and rodefull gallop after the chaise, which, when he had proceeded about twomiles, he understood from Pipes, had put up at a neighbouring inn.Though his inclination prompted him to enter her apartment withoutfurther delay, he suffered himself to be dissuaded from taking such aprecipitate step, by his privy counsellor, who observed, that it wouldbe impracticable to execute his purpose of conveying her against herwill from a public inn, that stood in the midst of a populous village,which would infallibly rise in her defence. He advised him therefore tobe in wait for the chaise, in some remote and private part of the road,where they might accomplish their aim without difficulty or danger.In consequence of this admonition our adventurer ordered Pipes toreconnoitre the inn, that she might not escape another way, while heand the valet, in order to avoid being seen, took a circuit by anunfrequented path, and placed themselves in ambush, on a spot which theychose for the scene of their achievement. Here they tarried a full hour,without seeing the carriage, or hearing from their sentinel. So thatthe youth, unable to exert his patience one moment longer, left theforeigner in his station, and rode back to his faithful lacquey, whoassured him, that the travellers had not yet hove up their anchor, orproceeded on their voyage.
Notwithstanding this information, Pickle began to entertain suchalarming suspicions, that he could not refrain from advancing tothe gate, and inquire for the company which had lately arrived in achaise-and-six. The innkeeper, who was not at all pleased with thebehaviour of those passengers, did not think proper to observe theinstructions he had received: on the contrary, he plainly told him, thatthe chaise did not halt, but only entered at one door, and went out atthe other, with a view to deceive those who pursued it, as he guessedfrom the words of the gentleman, who had earnestly desired that hisroute might be concealed from any person who should inquire about theirmotions. "As for my own peart, measter," continued this charitablepublican, "I believes as how they are no better than they shouldbe, else they wouldn't be in such a deadly fear of being overtaken.Methinks, said I, when I saw them in such a woundy pother to be gone,oddsheartlikins! this must be some London 'prentice running away withhis measter's daughter, as sure as I'm a living soul. But, be he who hewill, sartain it is, a has nothing of the gentleman about en; for, thofa asked such a favour, a never once put hand in pocket, or said, 'Dog,will you drink?' Howsomever, that don't argufy in reverence of his beingin a hurry; and a man may be sometimes a little too judgmatical in hisconjectures." In all probability, this loquacious landlord would haveserved the travellers effectually, had Peregrine heard him to an end;but this impetuous youth, far from listening to the sequel of hisobservations, interrupted him in the beginning of his career, by askingeagerly which road they followed; and, having received the innkeeper'sdirections, clapped spurs to his horse, commanding Pipes to make thevalet acquainted with the course, that they might attend him with allimaginable despatch.
By the publican's account of their conduct, his former opinion was fullyconfirmed. He plied his steed to the height of his mettle; and so muchwas his imagination engrossed by the prospect of having Emilia in hispower, that he did not perceive the road on which he travelled was quitedifferent from that which led to the habitation of Mrs. Gauntlet. Thevalet-de-chambre was an utter stranger to that part of the country; and,as for Mr. Pipes, such considerations were altogether foreign to theeconomy of his reflection.
Ten long miles had our hero rode, when his eyes were blessed with thesight of the chaise ascending an hill, at the distance of a good league;upon which he doubled his diligence in such a manner, that he gainedupon the carriage every minute, and at length approached so near toit, that he could discern the lady and her conductor, with their headsthrust out at the windows, looking back, and speaking to the driveralternately, as if they earnestly besought him to augment the speed ofhis cattle.
Being thus, as it were, in sight of port, while he crossed the road, hishorse happened to plunge into a cart-rut with such violence, that hewas thrown several yards over his head; and, the beast's shoulder beingslipped by the fall, he found himself disabled from plucking the fruit,which was almost within his reach; for he had left his servants at aconsiderable distance behind him; and although they had been at hisback, and supplied him with another horse, they were so indifferentlymounted, that he could not reasonably expect to overtake the flyers, whoprofited so much by this disaster that the chaise vanished in a moment.
It may be easily conceived how a young man of his disposition passed histime, in this tantalizing situation. He ejaculated with great fervency;but his prayers were not the effects of resignation. He ran backon foot, with incredible speed, in order to meet his valet, whom heunhorsed in a twinkling, and, taking his seat, began to exercise hiswhip and spurs, after having ordered the Swiss to follow him on theother gelding, and committed the lame hunter to the care of Pipes.
Matters being adjusted in this manner, our adventurer prosecuted therace with all his might; and, having made some progress, was informedby a countryman, that the chaise had struck off into another road, and,according to his judgment, was by that time about three miles ahead;though, in all probability, the horses would not be able to hold outmuch longer, because they seemed to be quite spent when they passedhis door. Encouraged by this intimation, Peregrine pushed on with greatalacrity, though he could not regain sight of the desired object, tillthe clouds of night began to deepen, and even then he enjoyed nothingmore than a transient glimpse; for the carriage was no sooner seen, thanshrouded again from his view. These vexatious circumstances animated hisendeavours, while they irritated his chagrin. In short, he continued hispursuit, till the night was far advanced, and himself so uncertain aboutthe object of his care, that he entered a solitary inn, with a view ofobtaining some
intelligence, when, to his infinite joy, he perceived thechaise standing by itself, and the horses panting in the yard.
In full confidence of his having arrived at last at the goal of all hiswishes, he alighted instantaneously, and, running up to the coachman,with a pistol in his hand, commanded him, in an imperious tone, toconduct him to the lady's chamber, on pain of death. The driver,affrighted at this menacing address, protested, with great humility,that he did not know whither his fare had retired; for that he himselfwas paid and dismissed from the service, because he would not undertaketo drive them all night across the country without stopping to refreshhis horses. But he promised to go in quest of the waiter, who wouldshow him to their apartment. He was accordingly detached on that errand,while our hero stood sentinel at the gate, till the arrival of hisvalet-de-chambre, who, joining him by accident, before the coachmanreturned, relieved him in his watch; and then the young gentleman,exasperated at his messenger's delay, rushed, with fury in his eyes,from room to room, denouncing vengeance upon the whole family; but hedid not meet with one living soul, until he entered the garret, where hefound the landlord and his wife in bed. This chicken-hearted couple, bythe light of a rush candle that burned on the hearth, seeing a strangerburst into the chamber, in such a terrible attitude, were seized withconsternation; and, exalting their voices, in a most lamentable strain,begged, for the passion of Christ, that he would spare their lives, andtake all they had.
Peregrine guessing, from this exclamation, and the circumstance of theirbeing abed, that they mistook him for a robber, and were ignorant ofthat which he wanted to know, dispelled their terror, by making themacquainted with the cause of his visit, and desired the husband to getup with all possible despatch, in order to assist and attend him in hissearch.
Thus reinforced, he rummaged every corner of the inn, and at last,finding the hostler in the stable, was by him informed, to hisunspeakable mortification, that the gentleman and lady who arrived inthe chaise, had immediately hired post-horses for a certain villageat the distance of fifteen miles, and departed without halting for theleast refreshment. Our adventurer, mad with his disappointment, mountedhis horse in an instant, and, with his attendant, took the same road,with full determination to die, rather than desist from the prosecutionof his design. He had, by this time, rode upwards of thirty miles, sincethree o'clock in the afternoon; so that the horses were almost quitejaded, and travelled this stage so slowly, that it was morning beforethey reached the place of their destination, where, far from finding thefugitives, he understood that no such persons as he described had passedthat way, and that, in all likelihood, they had taken a quite contrarydirection, while in order to mislead him in his pursuit, they had amusedthe hostler with a false route. This conjecture was strengthened by hisperceiving, now for the first time, that he had deviated a considerableway from the road, through which they must have journeyed, in order toarrive at the place of her mother's residence; and these suggestionsutterly deprived him of the small remains of recollection which hehad hitherto retained. His eyes rolled about, witnessing rage anddistraction; he foamed at the mouth, stamped upon the ground withgreat violence, uttered incoherent imprecations against himself and allmankind, and would have sallied forth again, he knew not whither, uponthe same horse, which he had already almost killed with fatigue, hadnot his confidant found means to quiet the tumult of his thoughts,and recall his reflection, by representing the condition of the pooranimals, and advising him to hire fresh horses, and ride post acrossthe country, to the village in the neighbourhood of Mrs. Gauntlet'shabitation, where they should infallibly intercept the daughter,provided they could get the start of her upon the road.
Peregrine not only relished, but forthwith acted in conformity withthis good counsel. His own horses were committed to the charge of thelandlord, with directions for Pipes, in case he should come in quest ofhis master: and, a couple of stout geldings being prepared, he andhis valet took the road again, steering their course according to themotions of the post-boy, who undertook to be their guide. They hadalmost finished the first stage, when they descried a post-chaise justhalting at the inn where they proposed to change horses; upon which ouradventurer, glowing with a most interesting presage, put his beastto the full speed, and approached near enough to distinguish, as thetravellers quitted the carriage, that he had at last come up with thevery individual persons whom he had pursued so long.
Flushed with this discovery, he galloped into the yard so suddenly, thatthe lady and her conductor scarce had time to shut themselves up in achamber, to which they retreated with great precipitation; so thatthe pursuer was now certain of having housed his prey. That he might,however, leave nothing to fortune, he placed himself upon the stair bywhich they had ascended to the apartment, and sent up his compliments tothe young lady, desiring the favour of being admitted to her presence,otherwise he should be obliged to waive all ceremony, and take thatliberty which she would not give. The servant, having conveyed hismessage through the keyhole, returned with an answer, importing that shewould adhere to the resolution she had taken, and perish, rather thancomply with his will. Our adventurer, without staying to make anyrejoinder to this reply, ran upstairs, and, thundering at the doorfor entrance, was given to understand by the nymph's attendant, thata blunderbuss was ready primed for his reception, and that he would dowell to spare him the necessity of shedding blood in defence of a personwho had put herself under his protection. "All the laws of the land,"said he, "cannot now untie the knots by which we are bound together; andtherefore I will guard her as my own property; so that you had betterdesist from your fruitless attempt, and thereby consult your own safety;for, by the God that made me! I will discharge my piece upon you, assoon as you set your nose within the door; and your blood be upon yourown head."
These menaces, from a citizen's clerk, would have been sufficientmotives for Pickle to storm the breach, although they had not beenreinforced by that declaration, which informed him of Emilia's havingbestowed herself in marriage upon such a contemptible rival. This soleconsideration added wings to his impetuosity, and he applied his foot tothe door with such irresistible force, as burst it open in an instant,entering at the same time with a pistol ready cocked in his hand. Hisantagonist, instead of firing his blunderbuss, when he saw himapproach, started back with evident signs of surprise and consternation,exclaiming, "Lord Jesus! Sir, you are not the man! and, without doubt,are under some mistake with regard to us." Before Peregrine had timeto answer this salutation, the lady, hearing it, advanced to him, and,pulling off a mask, discovered a face which he had never seen before.The Gorgon's head, according to the fables of antiquity, never hada more instantaneous or petrifying effect, than that which thiscountenance produced upon the astonished youth. His eyes were fixedupon this unknown object, as if they had been attracted by the power ofenchantment, his feet seemed riveted to the ground, and, after havingstood motionless for the space of a few minutes, he dropped down in anapoplexy of disappointment and despair. The Swiss, who had followed him,seeing his master in this condition, lifted him up, and, laying him upona bed in the next room, let him blood immediately, without hesitation,being always provided with a case of lancets, against all accidents onthe road. To this foresight our hero, in all probability, was indebtedfor his life. By virtue of a very copious evacuation, he recoveredthe use of his senses; but the complication of fatigues and violenttransports, which he had undergone, brewed up a dangerous fever in hisblood; and, a physician being called from the next market-town, severaldays elapsed before he would answer for his life.
CHAPTER LXXIX.