The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle

by T. Smollett

  He receives an unexpected Visit; and the Clouds of Misfortune begin toseparate.

  While he pined in this forlorn condition, with an equal abhorrence ofthe world and himself, Captain Gauntlet arrived in town in order toemploy his interest for promotion in the army; and in consequence of hiswife's particular desire, made it his business to inquire for Peregrine,to whom he longed to be reconciled, even though at the expense of aslight submission. But he could hear no tidings of him, at the place towhich he was directed; and, on the supposition that our hero had goneto reside in the country, applied himself to his own business,with intention to renew his inquiries, after that affair should betransacted. He communicated his demands to his supposed patron, who hadassumed the merit of making him a captain, and been gratified with avaluable present on that consideration; and was cajoled with hopes ofsucceeding in his present aim by the same interest.

  Meanwhile, he became acquainted with one of the clerks belonging tothe War Office, whose advice and assistance, he was told, would be afurtherance to his scheme. As he had occasion to discourse with thisgentleman upon the circumstances of his expectation, he learned that thenobleman, upon whom he depended, was a person of no consequence in thestate, and altogether incapable of assisting him in his advancement.At the same time, his counsellor expressed his surprise that CaptainGauntlet did not rather interest in his cause the noble peer to whosegood offices he owed his last commission.

  This remark introduced an explanation, by which Godfrey discovered, tohis infinite astonishment, the mistake in which he had continued so longwith regard to his patron; though he could not divine the motive whichinduced a nobleman, with whom he had no acquaintance or connection,to interpose his influence in his behalf. Whatsoever that might be, hethought it was his duty to make his acknowledgment; and for that purposewent next morning to his house, where he was politely received, andgiven to understand that Mr. Pickle was the person to whose friendshiphe was indebted for his last promotion.

  Inexpressible were the transports of gratitude, affection, and remorsethat took possession of the soul of Gauntlet, when this mystery wasunfolded. "Good Heaven!" cried he, lifting up his hands, "have I livedso long in a state of animosity with my benefactor? I intended to havereconciled myself at any rate before I was sensible of this obligation,but now I shall not enjoy a moment's quiet until I have an opportunityof expressing to him my sense of his heroic friendship. I presume,from the nature of the favour conferred upon him in my behalf, thatMr. Pickle is well known to your lordship; and I should think myselfextremely happy if you could inform me in what part of the country he isto be found; for the person with whom he lodged some time ago could giveme no intelligence of his motions."

  The nobleman, touched with this instance of generous self-denial inPeregrine, as well as with the sensibility of his friend, lamented theunhappiness of our hero, while he gave Gauntlet to understand that hehad been long disordered in his intellects, in consequence of havingsquandered away his fortune; and that his creditors had thrown him intothe Fleet prison; but whether he still continued in that confinement, orwas released from his misfortunes by death, his lordship did not know,because he had never inquired.

  Godfrey no sooner received this intimation, than, his blood boiling withgrief and impatience, he craved pardon for his abrupt departure; thenquitting his informer on the instant, re-embarked in his hackney-coach,and ordered himself to be conveyed directly to the Fleet. As the vehicleproceeded along one side of the market, he was surprised with theappearance of Hatchway and Pipes, who stood cheapening cauliflowers at agreen-stall, their heads being cased in worsted nightcaps, half coveredwith their hats, and a short tobacco-pipe in the mouth of each. He wasrejoiced at sight of the two seamen, which he took for a happy omen offinding his friend, and, ordering the coachman to stop the carriage,called to the lieutenant by his name. Jack replying with an hilloah,looking behind him, and recognizing the face of his old acquaintance,ran up to the coach with great eagerness. Shaking the captain heartilyby the hand, "Odds heart!" said he, "I am glad thou hast fallen in withus; we shall now be able to find the trim of the vessel, and lay herabout on t'other tack. For my own part, I have had many a consort in mytime, that is, in the way of good fellowship, and I always made ashift to ware 'em at one time or another. But this headstrong toad willneither obey the helm nor the sheet; and for aught I know, will founderwhere a lies at anchor."

  Gauntlet, who conceived part of his meaning, alighted immediately; andbeing conducted to the sailor's lodging, was informed of everythingthat had passed between the lieutenant and Pickle. He, in his turn,communicated to Jack the discovery which he had made, with regard to hiscommission; at which the other gave no signs of surprise, but, takingthe pipe from his mouth, "Why look ye, captain," said he, "that's notthe only good turn you have owed him. That same money you received fromthe commodore as an old debt was all a sham, contrived by Pickle foryour service; but a wool drive under his bare poles without sails andrigging, or a mess of provision on board, rather than take the sameassistance from another man."

  Godfrey was not only amazed, but chagrined at the knowledge of thisanecdote; which gave umbrage to his pride, while it stimulated hisdesire of doing something in return for the obligation. He inquired intothe present circumstances of the prisoner; and understanding that he wasindisposed, and but indifferently provided with the common necessariesof life, though still deaf to all offers of assistance, began to beextremely concerned at the account of this savage obstinacy and pride,which would, he feared, exclude him from the privilege of relieving himin his distress. However, he resolved to leave no expedient untried,that might have any tendency to surmount such destructive prejudice;and entering the jail, was directed to the apartment of the wretchedprisoner. He knocked softly at the door, and, when it was opened,started back with horror and astonishment. The figure that presenteditself to his view was the remains of his once happy friend; butso miserably altered and disguised, that his features were scarcecognisable. The florid, the sprightly, the gay, the elevated youth, wasnow metamorphosed into a wan, dejected, meagre, squalid spectre; thehollow-eyed representative of distemper, indigence, and despair. Yet hiseyes retained a certain ferocity, which threw a dismal gleam athwart thecloudiness of his aspect, and he, in silence, viewed his old companionwith a look betokening confusion and disdain. As for Gauntlet, he couldnot, without emotion, behold such a woeful reverse of fate, in a personfor whom he entertained the noblest sentiments of friendship, gratitude,and esteem; his sorrow was at first too big for utterance, and he shed aflood of tears before he could pronounce one word.

  Peregrine, in spite of his misanthropy, could not help being affectedwith this uncommon testimony of regard; but he strove to stifle hissensations. His brows contracted themselves into a severe frown; hiseyes kindled into the appearance of live coals. He waved with his handin signal for Godfrey to be gone, and leave such a wretch as him to themiseries of his fate; and, finding nature too strong to be suppressed,uttered a deep groan, and wept aloud.

  The soldier, seeing him thus melted, unable to restrain the strongimpulse of his affection, sprung towards, and clasping him in his arms,"My dearest friend, and best benefactor," said he, "I am come hither tohumble myself for the offence I was so unhappy as to give at ourlast parting; to beg a reconciliation, to thank you for the case andaffluence I have enjoyed through your means, and to rescue you, in spiteof yourself, from this melancholy situation; of which, but an hour ago,I was utterly ignorant. Do not deny me the satisfaction of acquittingmyself in point of duty and obligation. You must certainly have had someregard for a person in whose favour you have exerted yourself so much;and if any part of that esteem remains, you will not refuse him anopportunity of approving himself in some measure worthy of it. Letme not suffer the most mortifying of all repulses, that of slightedfriendship; but kindly sacrifice your resentment and inflexibility tothe request of one who is at all times ready to sacrifice his life foryour honour and advantage. If you will not yield to my entreatie
s, havesome regard to the wishes of my Sophy, who laid me under the strongestinjunctions to solicit your forgiveness, even before she knew how much Iwas indebted to your generosity; or, if that consideration should be ofno weight, I hope you will relax a little for the sake of poor Emilia,whose resentment hath been long subdued by her affection, and who nowdroops in secret at your neglect."

  Every word of this address, delivered in the most pathetic manner,made an impression upon the mind of Peregrine. He was affected with thesubmission of his friend, who, in reality, had given him no justcause to complain. He knew that no ordinary motive had swayed him to acondescension so extraordinary in a man of his punctilious temper. Heconsidered it, therefore, as the genuine effect of eager gratitude anddisinterested love, and his heart began to relent accordingly. When heheard himself conjured in the name of the gentle Sophy, his obstinacywas quite overcome; and when Emilia was recalled to his remembrance,his whole frame underwent a violent agitation. He took his friend by thehand, with a softened look; and, as soon as he recovered the facultyof speech, which had been overpowered in the conflict of passions thattransported him, protested, that he retained no vestige of animosity,but considered him in the light of an affectionate comrade, the ties ofwhose friendship adversity could not unbind. He mentioned Sophy in themost respectful terms; spoke of Emilia with the most reverential awe,as the object of his inviolable love and veneration; but disclaimedall hope of ever more attracting her regard, and excused himself fromprofiting by Godfrey's kind intention; declaring, with a resoluteair, that he had broken off all connection with mankind, and that heimpatiently longed for the hour of his dissolution, which, if it shouldnot soon arrive by the course of nature, he was resolved to hastenwith his own hands, rather than be exposed to the contempt, and moreintolerable pity, of a rascally world.

  Gauntlet argued against this frantic determination with all thevehemence of expostulating friendship; but his remonstrances did notproduce the desired effect upon our desperate hero, who calmly refutedall his arguments, and asserted the rectitude of his design from thepretended maxims of reason and true philosophy. While this dispute wascarried on with eagerness on one side, and deliberation on the other, aletter was brought to Peregrine, who threw it carelessly aside unopened,though the superscription was in a handwriting to which he was astranger; and, in all probability, the contents would never have beenperused, had not Gauntlet insisted upon his waiving all ceremony, andreading it forthwith. Thus solicited, Pickle unsealed the billet, which,to his no small surprise, contained the following intimation:--

  Sir,--This comes to inform you, that, after many dangers and disappointments, I am, by the blessing of God, safely arrived in the Downs, on board of the Gomberoon Indiaman, having made a tolerable voyage; by which I hope I shall be enabled to repay, with interest, the seven hundred pounds which I borrowed of you before my departure from England. I take this opportunity of writing by our purser, who goes express with despatches for the Company, that you may have this satisfactory notice as soon as possible, relating to one whom I suppose you have long given over as lost. I have enclosed it in a letter to my broker, who, I hope, knows your address, and will forward it accordingly. And I am, with respect, Sir, your most humble servant, "Benjamin Chintz."

  He had no sooner taken a cursory view of this agreeable epistle, thanhis countenance cleared up, and, reaching it to his friend, with asmile, "There," said he, "is a more convincing argument, on your sideof the question, than all the casuists in the universe can advance."Gauntlet, wondering at this observation, took the paper, and, castinghis eyes greedily upon the contents, congratulated him upon the receiptof it, with extravagant demonstrations of joy. "Not on account of thesum," said he, "which, upon my honour, I would with pleasure pay threetimes over for your convenience and satisfaction; but because it seemsto have reconciled you to life, and disposed your mind for enjoying thecomforts of society."

  The instantaneous effect which this unexpected smile of fortune producedin the appearance of our adventurer is altogether inconceivable; itplumped up his cheeks in a moment, unbended and enlightened everyfeature of his face; elevated his head, which had begun to sink asit were, between his shoulders; and from a squeaking dispirited tone,swelled up his voice to a clear manly accent. Godfrey, taking advantageof this favourable change, began to regale him with prospects of futuresuccess. He reminded him of his youth and qualifications, which werecertainly designed for better days than those he had as yet seen;he pointed out various paths by which he might arrive at wealth andreputation; he importuned him to accept of a sum for his immediateoccasions; and earnestly begged that he would allow him to dischargethe debt for which he was confined, observing, that Sophy's fortunehad enabled him to exhibit that proof of his gratitude, without anydetriment to his affairs; and protesting that he should not believehimself in possession of Mr. Pickle's esteem, unless he was permitted tomake some such return of good-will to the man, who had not only raisedhim from indigence and scorn, to competence and reputable rank, but alsoempowered him to obtain the possession of an excellent woman, who hadfilled up the measure of his felicity.

  Peregrine declared himself already overpaid for all his good offices,by the pleasure he enjoyed in employing them, and the happy effects theyhad produced in the mutual satisfaction of two persons so dear to hisaffection; and assured his friend, that one time or other he would sethis conscience at ease, and remove the scruples of his honour, by havingrecourse to his assistance; but at present he could not make use of hisfriendship, without giving just cause of offence to honest Hatchway,who was prior to him in point of solicitation, and had manifested hisattachment with surprising obstinacy and perseverance.

  CHAPTER CII.