His Success Begets1 a Blind Security, by which he is Once Again Well-Nigh Entrapped2 in His Dulcinea’s Apartment.
In this manner did the crafty3 Fathom4 turn to account those ingratiating qualifications he inherited from nature, and maintain, with incredible assiduity and circumspection5, an amorous6 correspondence with two domestic rivals, who watched the conduct of each other with the most indefatigable7 virulence8 of envious9 suspicion, until an accident happened, which had well-nigh overturned the bark of his policy, and induced him to alter the course, that he might not be shipwrecked on the rocks that began to multiply in the prosecution10 of his present voyage.
The jeweller, who, as a German, wanted neither pride nor ostentation11, never failed to celebrate the anniversary of his birth by an annual feast granted to his neighbours and friends; and on these occasions was accustomed to wear that chain which, though bequeathed to his daughter, he considered as an ornament12 appertaining to the family, whereof he himself was head. Accordingly, when the time of this festival revolved13, he, as usual, ordered Wilhelmina to surrender it for the day. This injunction, the reader will perceive, our young lady was in no condition to obey; she had, however, foreseen the demand, and contrived14 a scheme of behaviour for the occasion, which she forthwith put in execution.
With an air of uncommon15 cheerfulness, purposely assumed, she retired16 to her closet, on pretence17 of complying with his desire, and, having employed a few minutes in rummaging18 her drawers and disordering her moveables, uttered a loud shriek20, that brought her father instantly into the apartment, where he found his daughter tossing about her clothes and trinkets with violent demonstrations21 of disorder19 and affright, and heard her, in a lamentable22 strain, declare that she was robbed of her chain, and for ever undone23. This was so far from being an agreeable intimation to the jeweller, that he was struck dumb with astonishment24 and vexation, and it was not till after a long pause that he pronounced the word Sacrament! with an emphasis denoting the most mortifying25 surprise.
Soon as that exclamation26 escaped from his lips, he flew to the escritoire as if instinctively27, and, joining Wilhelmina in her occupation, tumbled its whole contents upon the floor in a trice.
While he was thus employed, in the most expressive28 silence, the wife of his bosom29 chanced to pass that way, and seeing them both occupied with such violence and trepidation30, believed at first that they were certainly actuated by the spirit of frenzy31; but, when she interposed, by asking, with great earnestness, the cause of such transports and distracted behaviour, and heard her husband reply, with an accent of despair, “The chain! the chain of my forefathers32 is no more!” she immediately justified34 his emotion, by undergoing the same alarm, and, without further hesitation35, engaged herself in the search, beginning with a song, which might be compared to the hymn36 of battle among the Greeks, or rather more aptly to that which the Spartan37 females sung round the altar of Diana, surnamed Orthian; for it was attended with strange gesticulations, and, in the course of utterance38, became so loud and shrill39, that the guests, who were by this time partly assembled, being confounded at the clamour, rushed towards the place from whence it seemed to proceed, and found their landlord, with his wife and daughter, in the attitudes of distraction40 and despair.
When they understood the nature of the case, they condoled41 the family on their misfortune, and would have retired, on the supposition that it would defeat the mirthful intent of their meeting; but the jeweller, mustering42 up his whole temper and hospitality, entreated43 them to excuse his disorder, and favour him with their company, which, he observed, was now more than ever wanted, to dispel44 the melancholy45 ideas inspired by his loss. Notwithstanding this apology, and the efforts he made in the sequel to entertain his friends with jollity and good-humour, his heart was so linked to the chain, that he could not detach himself from the thoughts of it, which invaded him at short intervals46 in such qualms47 as effectually spoiled his appetite, and hindered his digestion48.
He revolved within himself the circumstances of his disaster, and, in canvassing49 all the probable means by which the chain would be stolen, concluded that the deed must have been done by some person in the family, who, in consequence of having access to his daughter’s chamber50, had either found the drawer left open by her carelessness and neglect, or found means to obtain a false key, by some waxen impression; for the locks of the escritoire were safe and uninjured. His suspicion being thus confined within his own house, sometimes pitched upon his workmen, and sometimes upon his wife, who, he thought, was the more likely to practise such finesse51, as she considered Wilhelmina in the light of a daughter-in-law, whose interest interfered52 with her own, and who had often harangued53 to him in private on the folly54 of leaving this very chain in the young lady’s possession.
The more he considered this subject, he thought he saw the more reason to attribute the damage he had sustained to the machinations of his spouse55, who, he did not doubt, was disposed to feather her own nest, at the expense of him and his heirs, and who, with the same honest intention, had already secreted56, for her private use, those inconsiderable jewels which of late had at different times been missing. Aroused by these sentiments, he resolved to retaliate57 her own schemes, by contriving58 means to visit her cabinet in secret, and, if possible, to rob the robber of the spoils she had gathered to his prejudice, without coming to any explanation, which might end in domestic turmoils59 and eternal disquiet60.
While the husband exercised his reflection in this manner, his innocent mate did not allow the powers of her imagination to rest in idleness and sloth61. Her observations touching62 the loss of the chain were such as a suspicious woman, biassed63 by hatred64 and envy, would naturally make. To her it seemed highly improbable, that a thing of such value, so carefully deposited, should vanish without the connivance66 of its keeper, and without much expense of conjecture67, divined the true manner in which it was conveyed. The sole difficulty that occurred in the researches of her sagacity, was to know the gallant68 who had been favoured with such a pledge of Wilhelmina’s affection; for, as the reader will easily imagine, she never dreamed of viewing Ferdinand in that odious69 perspective. In order to satisfy her curiosity, discover this happy favourite, and be revenged on her petulant70 rival, she prevailed upon the jeweller to employ a scout71, who should watch all night upon the stair, without the knowledge of any other person in the family, alleging72, that in all likelihood, the housemaid gave private admittance to some lover who was the author of all the losses they had lately suffered, and that they might possibly detect him in his nocturnal adventures; and observing that it would be imprudent to intimate their design to Wilhelmina, lest, through the heedlessness and indiscretion of youth, she might chance to divulge73 the secret, so as to frustrate74 their aim.
A Swiss, in whose honesty the German could confide75, being hired for this purpose, was posted in a dark corner of the staircase, within a few paces of the door, which he was directed to watch, and actually stood sentinel three nights, without perceiving the least object of suspicion; but, on the fourth, the evil stars of our adventurer conducted him to the spot, on his voyage to the apartment of his Dulcinea, with whom he had preconcerted the assignation. Having made the signal, which consisted of two gentle taps on her door, he was immediately admitted; and the Swiss no sooner saw him fairly housed, than he crept softly to the other door, that was left open for the purpose, and gave immediate33 intimation of what he had perceived. This intelligence, however, he could not convey so secretly, but the lovers, who were always vigilant76 upon these occasions, overheard a sort of commotion77 in the jeweller’s chamber, the cause of which their apprehension78 was ingenious enough to comprehend.
We have formerly79 observed that our adventurer could not make his retreat by the door, without running a very great risk of being detected, and the expedient80 of the chimney he had no inclination81 to repeat; so that he found himself in a very uncomfortable dilemma82, and was utterly83 abandoned by all his invention and address, when his mistress, in a whisper, desired him to begin a dialogue, aloud, in an apology, importing, that he had mistaken the door, and that his intention was to visit her father, touching a ring belonging to the young Count Melvil, which she knew Fathom had put into his hands, in order to be altered.
Ferdinand, seizing the hint, availed himself of it without delay, and, unbolting the door, pronounced in an audible voice, “Upon my honour, Mademoiselle, you wrong my intention, if you imagine I came hither with any disrespectful or dishonourable motive84. I have business with your father, which cannot be delayed till to-morrow, without manifest prejudice to my friend and myself; therefore I took the liberty of visiting him at these untimely hours, and it has been my misfortune to mistake the door in the dark. I beg pardon for my involuntary intrusion, and again assure you, that nothing was farther from my thoughts than any design to violate that respect which I have always entertained for you and your father’s family.”
To this remonstrance85, which was distinctly heard by the German and his wife, who by this time stood listening at the door, the young lady replied, in a shrill accent of displeasure, “Sir, I am bound to believe that all your actions are conducted by honour; but you must give me leave to tell you, that your mistake is a little extraordinary, and your visit, even to my father, at this time of the night, altogether unseasonable, if not mysterious. As for the interruption I have suffered in my repose86, I impute87 it to my own forgetfulness, in leaving my door unlocked, and blame myself so severely88 for the omission89, that I shall, to-morrow, put it out of my own power to be guilty of the like for the future, by ordering the passage to be nailed up; meanwhile, if you would persuade me of your well-meaning, you will instantly withdraw, lest my reputation should suffer by your continuance in my apartment.”
“Madam,” answered our hero, “I will not give you an opportunity to repeat the command, which I shall forthwith obey, after having entreated you once more to forgive the disturbance90 I have given.” So saying, he gently opened the door, and, at sight of the German and his wife, who, he well knew, waited for his exit, started back, and gave tokens of confusion, which was partly real and partly affected91. The jeweller, fully65 satisfied with Fathom’s declaration to his daughter, received him with a complaisant92 look, and, in order to alleviate93 his concern, gave him to understand, that he already knew the reason of his being in that apartment, and desired to be informed of what had procured94 him the honour to see him at such a juncture95.
“My dear friend,” said our adventurer, pretending to recollect96 himself with difficulty, “I am utterly ashamed and confounded to be discovered in this situation; but, as you have overheard what passed between Mademoiselle and me, I know you will do justice to my intention, and forgive my mistake. After begging pardon for having intruded97 upon your family at these hours, I must now tell you that my cousin, Count Melvil, was some time ago so much misrepresented to his mother by certain malicious98 informers, who delight in sowing discord99 in private families, that she actually believed her son an extravagant100 spendthrift, who had not only consumed his remittances101 in the most riotous102 scenes of disorder, but also indulged a pernicious appetite for gaming, to such a degree, that he had lost all his clothes and jewels at play. In consequence of such false information, she expostulated with him in a severe letter, and desired he would transmit to her that ring which is in your custody103, it being a family stone, for which she expressed an inestimable value. The young gentleman, in his answer to her reproof104, endeavoured to vindicate105 himself from the aspersions which had been cast upon his character, and, with regard to the ring, told her it was at present in the hands of a jeweller, in order to be new set according to her own directions, and that, whenever it should be altered, he would send it home to her by some safe conveyance106. This account the good lady took for an evasion107, and upon that supposition has again written to him, in such a provoking style, that, although the letter arrived but half an hour ago, he is determined108 to despatch109 a courier before morning with the mischievous110 ring, for which, in compliance111 with the impetuosity of his temper, I have taken the freedom to disturb you at this unseasonable hour.”
The German paid implicit112 faith to every circumstance of his story, which indeed could not well be supposed to be invented extempore; the ring was immediately restored, and our adventurer took his leave, congratulating himself upon his signal deliverance from the snare113 in which he had fallen.
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1
begets
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| v.为…之生父( beget的第三人称单数 )；产生，引起 | |
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entrapped
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| v.使陷入圈套，使入陷阱( entrap的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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circumspection
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| n.细心，慎重 | |
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amorous
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| adj.多情的；有关爱情的 | |
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indefatigable
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| adj.不知疲倦的，不屈不挠的 | |
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virulence
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| n.毒力，毒性；病毒性；致病力 | |
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envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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ostentation
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| n.夸耀，卖弄 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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revolved
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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15
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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rummaging
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| 翻找，搜寻( rummage的现在分词 )； 海关检查 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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mortifying
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| adj.抑制的，苦修的v.使受辱( mortify的现在分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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trepidation
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| n.惊恐，惶恐 | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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forefathers
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| n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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spartan
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| adj.简朴的，刻苦的；n.斯巴达；斯巴达式的人 | |
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utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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condoled
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| v.表示同情，吊唁( condole的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mustering
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的现在分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dispel
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| vt.驱走，驱散，消除 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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qualms
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| n.不安；内疚 | |
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digestion
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| n.消化，吸收 | |
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49
canvassing
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| 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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50
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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finesse
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| n.精密技巧，灵巧，手腕 | |
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52
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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53
harangued
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| v.高谈阔论( harangue的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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56
secreted
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| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
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57
retaliate
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| v.报复，反击 | |
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58
contriving
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| （不顾困难地）促成某事( contrive的现在分词 )； 巧妙地策划，精巧地制造（如机器）； 设法做到 | |
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turmoils
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| n.混乱( turmoil的名词复数 )；焦虑 | |
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disquiet
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| n.担心，焦虑 | |
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sloth
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| n.[动]树懒；懒惰，懒散 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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biassed
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| （统计试验中）结果偏倚的，有偏的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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connivance
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| n.纵容；默许 | |
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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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petulant
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| adj.性急的，暴躁的 | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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alleging
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| 断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 ) | |
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divulge
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| v.泄漏(秘密等)；宣布，公布 | |
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frustrate
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| v.使失望；使沮丧；使厌烦 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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84
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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86
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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87
impute
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| v.归咎于 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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89
omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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90
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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complaisant
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| adj.顺从的，讨好的 | |
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alleviate
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| v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等) | |
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94
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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97
intruded
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| n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于 | |
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98
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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99
discord
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| n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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101
remittances
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| n.汇寄( remittance的名词复数 )；汇款，汇款额 | |
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102
riotous
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| adj.骚乱的；狂欢的 | |
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103
custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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104
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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105
vindicate
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| v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确 | |
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106
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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107
evasion
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| n.逃避，偷漏(税) | |
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108
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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109
despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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110
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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111
compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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112
implicit
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| a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的 | |
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113
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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