He is Reduced to a Dreadful Dilemma1, in Consequence of an Assignation with the Wife.
Nor was his whole care and attention engrossed2 by the execution of this scheme upon the daughter. While he managed his concerns in that quarter with incredible ardour and application, he was not the less indefatigable3 in the prosecution4 of his design upon the mother-in-law, which he forwarded with all his art during those opportunities he enjoyed in the absence of Wilhelmina, who was frequently called away by the domestic duties of the house. The passions of the jeweller’s wife were in such a state of exaltation, as exempted5 our hero from the repulses6 and fatigue7 attending a long siege.
We have already observed how cunningly he catered8 for the gratification of her ruling appetite, and have exhibited pregnant proofs of his ability in gaining upon the human heart; the reader will not therefore be surprised at the rapidity of his conquest over the affections of a lady whose complexion9 was perfectly10 amorous11, and whose vanity laid her open to all the attempts of adulation. In a word, matters were quickly brought to such a mutual12 understanding, that, one evening, while they amused themselves at lansquenet, Fathom14 conjured15 her to give him the rendezvous16 next day at the house of any third person of her own sex, in whose discretion17 she could confide18; and, after a few affected19 scruples20 on her side, which he well knew how to surmount21, she complied with his request, and the circumstances of the appointment were settled accordingly. After this treaty, their satisfaction rose to such a warmth, and the conversation became so reciprocally endearing, that our gallant22 expressed his impatience23 of waiting so long for the accomplishment24 of his wishes, and, with the most eager transport, begged she would, if possible, curtail25 the term of his expectation, that his brain might not suffer by his standing13 so many tedious hours on the giddy verge26 of rapture27.
The dame28, who was naturally compassionate29, sympathised with his condition, and, unable to resist his pathetic supplications, gave him to understand that his desire could not be granted, without subjecting them both to some hazard, but that she was disposed to run any risk in behalf of his happiness and peace. After this affectionate preamble30, she told him that her husband was then engaged in a quarterly meeting of the jewellers, from whence he never failed to return quite overwhelmed with wine, tobacco, and the phlegm of his own constitution; so that he would fall fast asleep as soon as his head should touch the pillow, and she be at liberty to entertain the lover without interruption, provided he could find means to deceive the jealous vigilance of Wilhelmina, and conceal31 himself in some corner of the house, unsuspected and unperceived.
Our lover, remembering his adventure with the daughter, would have willingly dispensed32 with this expedient33, and began to repent34 of the eagerness with which he had preferred his solicitation35; but, seeing there was now no opportunity of retracting36 with honour, he affected to enter heartily37 into the conversation, and, after much canvassing38, it was determined39, that, while Wilhelmina was employed in the kitchen, the mother should conduct our adventurer to the outer door, where he should pay the compliment of parting, so as to be overheard by the young lady; but, in the meantime, glide40 softly into the jeweller’s bedchamber, which was a place they imagined least liable to the effects of a daughter’s prying42 disposition43, and conceal himself in a large press or wardrobe, that stood in one corner of the apartment. The scene was immediately acted with great success, and our hero cooped up in his cage, where he waited so long, that his desires began to subside44, and his imagination to aggravate45 the danger of his situation.
“Suppose,” said he to himself, “this brutal46 German, instead of being stupefied with wine, should come home inflamed47 with brandy, to the use of which he is sometimes addicted48, far from feeling any inclination49 to sleep, he will labour under the most fretful anxiety of watching; every irascible particle in his disposition will be exasperated50; he will be offended with every object that may present itself to his view; and, if there is the least ingredient of jealousy51 in his temper, it will manifest itself in riot and rage. What if his frenzy52 should prompt him to search his wife’s chamber41 for gallants? this would certainly be the first place to which he would direct his inquiry53; or, granting this supposition chimerical54, I may be seized with an irresistible55 inclination to cough, before he is oppressed with sleep; he may be waked by the noise I shall make in disengaging myself from this embarrassed situation; and, finally, I may find it impracticable to retire unseen or unheard, after everything else shall have succeeded to my wish.”
These suggestions did not at all contribute to the quiet of our adventurer, who, having waited three whole hours in the most uncomfortable suspense56, heard the jeweller brought into the room in that very condition which his fears had prognosticated. He had, it seems, quarrelled over his cups with another tradesman, and received a salutation on the forehead with a candlestick, which not only left an ignominious57 and painful mark upon his countenance58, but even disordered his brain to a very dangerous degree of delirium60; so that, instead of allowing himself quietly to be undressed and put to bed by his wife, he answered all her gentle admonitions and caresses61 with the most opprobrious62 invectives and obstreperous63 behaviour; and, though he did not tax her with infidelity to his bed, he virulently64 accused her of extravagance and want of economy; observed, her expensive way of living would bring him to a morsel65 of bread; and unfortunately recollecting66 the attempt of the supposed thief, started up from his chair, swearing by G—‘s mother that he would forthwith arm himself with a brace68 of pistols, and search every apartment in the house. “That press,” said he, with great vociferation, “may, for aught I know, be the receptacle of some ruffian.”
So saying, he approached the ark in which Fathom was embarked69, and exclaiming, “Come forth67, Satan,” applied70 his foot to the door of it, with such violence as threw him from the centre of gravity, and laid him sprawling71 on his back. This address made such an impression upon our adventurer, that he had well-nigh obeyed the summons, and burst from his concealment72, in a desperate effort to escape, without being recognised by the intoxicated73 German; and indeed, had the application been repeated, he in all likelihood would have tried the experiment, for by this time his terrors had waxed too strong to be much longer suppressed. From this hazardous74 enterprise he was, however, exempted by a lucky accident that happened to his disturber, whose head chancing to pitch upon the corner of a chair in his fall, he was immediately lulled75 into a trance, during which the considerate lady, guessing the disorder59 of her gallant, and dreading76 further interruption, very prudently77 released him from his confinement78, after she had put out the light, and in the dark conveyed him to the door, where he was comforted with the promise that she would punctually remember the rendezvous of next day.
She then invoked79 the assistance of the servants, who, being waked for the purpose, lifted up their master, and tumbled him into bed, while Ferdinand hied him home in an universal sweat, blessing80 himself from any future achievement of that sort in a house where he had been twice in such imminent81 danger of life and reputation. Nevertheless, he did not fail to honour the assignation, and avail himself of the disposition his mistress manifested to make him all the recompense in her power for the disappointment and chagrin82 which he had undergone.
1 dilemma | |
n.困境,进退两难的局面 | |
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2 engrossed | |
adj.全神贯注的 | |
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3 indefatigable | |
adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 | |
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4 prosecution | |
n.起诉,告发,检举,执行,经营 | |
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5 exempted | |
使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6 repulses | |
v.击退( repulse的第三人称单数 );驳斥;拒绝 | |
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7 fatigue | |
n.疲劳,劳累 | |
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8 catered | |
提供饮食及服务( cater的过去式和过去分词 ); 满足需要,适合 | |
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9 complexion | |
n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格 | |
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10 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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11 amorous | |
adj.多情的;有关爱情的 | |
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12 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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13 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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14 fathom | |
v.领悟,彻底了解 | |
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15 conjured | |
用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 ); 祈求,恳求; 变戏法; (变魔术般地) 使…出现 | |
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16 rendezvous | |
n.约会,约会地点,汇合点;vi.汇合,集合;vt.使汇合,使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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17 discretion | |
n.谨慎;随意处理 | |
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18 confide | |
v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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19 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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20 scruples | |
n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 );顾虑,顾忌v.感到于心不安,有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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21 surmount | |
vt.克服;置于…顶上 | |
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22 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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23 impatience | |
n.不耐烦,急躁 | |
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24 accomplishment | |
n.完成,成就,(pl.)造诣,技能 | |
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25 curtail | |
vt.截短,缩短;削减 | |
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26 verge | |
n.边,边缘;v.接近,濒临 | |
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27 rapture | |
n.狂喜;全神贯注;着迷;v.使狂喜 | |
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28 dame | |
n.女士 | |
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29 compassionate | |
adj.有同情心的,表示同情的 | |
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30 preamble | |
n.前言;序文 | |
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31 conceal | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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32 dispensed | |
v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 );施与;配(药) | |
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33 expedient | |
adj.有用的,有利的;n.紧急的办法,权宜之计 | |
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34 repent | |
v.悔悟,悔改,忏悔,后悔 | |
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35 solicitation | |
n.诱惑;揽货;恳切地要求;游说 | |
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36 retracting | |
v.撤回或撤消( retract的现在分词 );拒绝执行或遵守;缩回;拉回 | |
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37 heartily | |
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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38 canvassing | |
v.(在政治方面)游说( canvass的现在分词 );调查(如选举前选民的)意见;为讨论而提出(意见等);详细检查 | |
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39 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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40 glide | |
n./v.溜,滑行;(时间)消逝 | |
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41 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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42 prying | |
adj.爱打听的v.打听,刺探(他人的私事)( pry的现在分词 );撬开 | |
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43 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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44 subside | |
vi.平静,平息;下沉,塌陷,沉降 | |
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45 aggravate | |
vt.加重(剧),使恶化;激怒,使恼火 | |
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46 brutal | |
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
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47 inflamed | |
adj.发炎的,红肿的v.(使)变红,发怒,过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48 addicted | |
adj.沉溺于....的,对...上瘾的 | |
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49 inclination | |
n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好 | |
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50 exasperated | |
adj.恼怒的 | |
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51 jealousy | |
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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52 frenzy | |
n.疯狂,狂热,极度的激动 | |
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53 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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54 chimerical | |
adj.荒诞不经的,梦幻的 | |
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55 irresistible | |
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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56 suspense | |
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑 | |
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57 ignominious | |
adj.可鄙的,不光彩的,耻辱的 | |
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58 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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59 disorder | |
n.紊乱,混乱;骚动,骚乱;疾病,失调 | |
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60 delirium | |
n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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61 caresses | |
爱抚,抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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62 opprobrious | |
adj.可耻的,辱骂的 | |
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63 obstreperous | |
adj.喧闹的,不守秩序的 | |
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64 virulently | |
恶毒地,狠毒地 | |
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65 morsel | |
n.一口,一点点 | |
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66 recollecting | |
v.记起,想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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67 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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68 brace | |
n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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69 embarked | |
乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 ); 装载; 从事 | |
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70 applied | |
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用 | |
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71 sprawling | |
adj.蔓生的,不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 );蔓延;杂乱无序地拓展;四肢伸展坐着(或躺着) | |
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72 concealment | |
n.隐藏, 掩盖,隐瞒 | |
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73 intoxicated | |
喝醉的,极其兴奋的 | |
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74 hazardous | |
adj.(有)危险的,冒险的;碰运气的 | |
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75 lulled | |
vt.使镇静,使安静(lull的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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76 dreading | |
v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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77 prudently | |
adv. 谨慎地,慎重地 | |
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78 confinement | |
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限 | |
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79 invoked | |
v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 );行使(权利等);祈求救助;恳求 | |
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80 blessing | |
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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81 imminent | |
adj.即将发生的,临近的,逼近的 | |
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82 chagrin | |
n.懊恼;气愤;委屈 | |
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