He makes a fruitless Attempt in Gallantry — Departs for Boulogne, where he spends the evening with certain English Exiles.
Having thus yielded to the hand of power, he inquired if there was any other English company in the house; when, understanding that a gentleman and lady lodged2 in the next apartment, and had bespoke3 a post-chaise for Paris, he ordered Pipes to ingratiate himself with their footman, and, if possible, learn their names and condition, while he and Mr. Jolter, attended by the lacquey, took a turn round the ramparts, and viewed the particulars of the fortification.
Tom was so very successful in his inquiry4, that when his master returned he was able to give him a very satisfactory account of his fellow-lodgers, in consequence of having treated his brother with a bottle of wine. The people in question were a gentleman and his lady lately arrived from England, in their way to Paris. The husband was a man of good fortune, who had been a libertine5 in his youth, and a professed6 declaimer against matrimony. He wanted neither sense nor experience, and piqued7 himself in particular upon his art of avoiding the snares8 of the female sex, in which he pretended to be deeply versed9; but, notwithstanding all his caution and skill, he had lately fallen a sacrifice to the attractions of an oyster-wench, who had found means to decoy him into the bands of wedlock10; and, in order to evade11 the compliments and congratulations of his friends and acquaintance, he had come so far on a tour to Paris, where he intended to initiate12 his spouse13 in the beau monde. In the mean time, he chose to live upon the reserve, because her natural talents had as yet received but little cultivation14; and he had not the most implicit15 confidence in her virtue16 and discretion17, which, it seems, had like to have yielded to the addresses of an officer at Canterbury, who had made shift to insinuate18 himself into her acquaintance and favour.
Peregrine’s curiosity being inflamed19 by this information, he lounged about the yard, in hopes of seeing the dulcinea who had captivated the old bachelor; and at length observing her at a window, took the liberty of bowing to her with great respect. She returned the compliment with a curtsy, and appeared so decent in her dress and manner, that unless he had been previously20 informed of her former life and conversation, he never would have dreamt that her education was different from that of other ladies of fashion; so easy is it to acquire that external deportment on which people of condition value themselves so much. Not but that Mr. Pickle21 pretended to distinguish a certain vulgar audacity22 in her countenance23, which in a lady of birth and fortune would have passed for an agreeable vivacity24 that enlivens the aspect, and gives poignancy25 to every feature; but as she possessed26 a pair of fine eyes, and a clear complexion27 overspread with a glow of health, which never fails of recommending the owner, he could not help gazing at her with desire, and forming the design of making a conquest of her heart. With this view, he sent his compliments to her husband whose name was Hornbeck, with an intimation that he proposed to set out the next day for Paris, and as he understood that he was resolved upon the same journey, he should be extremely glad of his company on the road, if he was not better engaged. Hornbeck, who in all probability did not choose to accommodate his wife with a squire28 of our hero’s appearance, sent a civil answer to his message, professing29 infinite mortification30 at his being unable to embrace the favour of this kind offer, by reason of the indisposition of his wife, who, he was afraid, would not be in a condition for some days to bear the fatigue32 of travelling.
This rebuff, which Peregrine ascribed to the husband’s jealousy33, stifled34 his project in embryo35: he ordered his French servant to take a place for himself in the diligence, where all his luggage was stowed, except a small trunk, with some linen36 and other necessaries, that was fixed37 upon the post-chaise which they hired of the landlord; and early next morning he and Mr. Jolter departed from Calais, attended by his valet-de-chambre and Pipes on horseback. They proceeded without any accident as far as Boulogne, where they breakfasted, and visited old Father Graham, a Scottish gentleman of the governor’s acquaintance, who had lived as a Capuchin in that place for the space of threescore years, and during that period conformed to all the austerities of the order with the most rigorous exactness, being equally remarkable38 for the frankness of his conversation, the humanity of his disposition31, and the simplicity39 of his manners. From Boulogne they took their departure about noon; and as they proposed to sleep that night at Abbeville, commanded the postilion to drive with extra ordinary speed. Perhaps it was well for his cattle that the axletree gave way and the chaise of course overturned, before they had travelled one-third part of the stage.
This accident compelled them to return to the place from whence they had set out; and as they could not procure40 another conveyance41, they found themselves under the necessity of staying till their chaise could be refitted. Understanding that this operation would detain them a whole day, our young gentleman had recourse to his patience, and demanded to know what they could have for dinner; the garcon or waiter, thus questioned, vanished in a moment, and immediately they were surprised with the appearance of a strange figure, which, from the extravagance of its dress and gesticulation, Peregrine mistook for a madman of the growth of France. This phantom42 (which, by the bye, happened to be no other than the cook) was a tall, long-legged, meagre, swarthy fellow, that stooped very much; his cheek-bones were remarkably43 raised, his nose bent44 into the shape and size of a powder-horn, and the sockets45 of his eyes as raw round the edges as if the skin had been pared off. On his head he wore a handkerchief, which had once been white, and now served to cover the upper part of a black periwig, to which was attached a bag at least a foot square, with a solitaire and rose that stuck upon each side of his ear; so that he looked like a criminal on the pillory46. His back was accommodated with a linen waistcoat, his hands adorned47 with long ruffles48 of the same piece, his middle was girded by an apron49, tucked up, that it might not conceal50 his white silk stockings, rolled; and at his entrance he brandished51 a bloody52 weapon full three feet in length.
Peregrine, when he first saw him approach in this menacing attitude, put himself upon his guard; but being informed of his quality, perused53 his bill of fare, and having bespoken54 three or four things for dinner, walked out with Mr. Jolter to view both towns, which they had not leisure to consider minutely before. In their return from the harbour they met with four or five gentlemen, all of whom seemed to look with an air of dejection, and perceiving our hero and his governor to be English by their dress, bowed with great respect as they passed. Pickle, who was naturally compassionate55, felt an emotion of sympathy; and seeing a person, who by his habit he judged to be one of their servants, accosted56 him in English, and asked who the gentlemen were. The lacquey gave him to understand that they were his own countrymen, called from their native homes in consequence of their adherence57 to an unfortunate and ruined cause; and that they were gone to the sea-side, according to their daily practice, in order to indulge their longing58 eyes with a prospect59 of the white cliffs of Albion, which they must never more approach.
Though our young gentleman differed widely from them in point of political principles, he was not one of those enthusiasts60 who look upon every schism61 from the established articles of faith as damnable, and exclude the sceptic from every benefit of humanity and Christian62 forgiveness: he could easily comprehend how a man of the most unblemished morals might, by the prejudice of education, or indispensable attachments63, be engaged in such a blameworthy and pernicious undertaking64; and thought that they had already suffered severely65 for their imprudence. He was affected66 with the account of their diurnal67 pilgrimage to the sea-side, which he considered as a pathetic proof of their affliction, and invested Mr. Jolter with the agreeable office of going to them with a compliment in his name, and begging the honour of drinking a glass with them in the evening. They accepted the proposal with great satisfaction and respectful acknowledgment, and in the afternoon waited upon the kind inviter, who treated them with coffee, and would have detained them to supper, but they entreated68 the favour of his company at the house which they frequented so earnestly, that he yielded to their solicitations, and, with his governor, was conducted by them to the place, where they had provided an elegant repast, and regaled them with some of the best claret in France.
It was easy for them to perceive that their principal guest was no favourer of their state maxims69, and therefore they industriously70 avoided every subject of conversation which could give the least offence: not but they lamented71 their own situation, which cut them off from all their dearest connections, and doomed72 them to perpetual banishment73 from their families and friends: but they did not, even by the most distant hint, impeach74 the justice of that sentence by which they were condemned75; although one among them, who seemed to be about the age of thirty, wept bitterly over his misfortune, which had involved a beloved wife and three children in misery76 and distress77; and, in the impatience78 of his grief, cursed his own fate with frantic79 imprecations. His companions, with a view of beguiling80 his sorrow, and manifesting their own hospitality at the same time, changed the topic of discourse81, and circulated the bumpers82 with great assiduity; so that all their cares were overwhelmed and forgotten, several French drinking catches were sung, and mirth and good-fellowship prevailed.
In the midst of this elevation83, which commonly unlocks the most hidden sentiment, and dispels84 every consideration of caution and constraint85, one of the entertainers, being more intoxicated86 than his fellows, proposed a toast, to which Peregrine, with some warmth, excepted as an unmannerly insult. The other maintained his proposition with indecent heat; and the dispute beginning to grow very serious, the company interposed, and gave judgment87 against their friend, who was so keenly reproached and rebuked88 for his impolite behaviour, that he retired89 in high dudgeon, threatening to relinquish90 their society, and branding them with the appellation91 apostates92 from the common cause. Mortified93 at the behaviour of their companion, those that remained were earnest in their apologies to their guests, whom they besought94 to forgive his intemperance95, assuring them with great confidence that he would, upon the recovery of his reflection, wait upon them in person, and ask pardon for the umbrage96 he had given. Pickle was satisfied with their remonstrances97, resumed his good humour, and the night being pretty far advanced resisted all their importunities with which he was entreated to see another bottle go round, and was escorted to his own lodgings98 more than half-seas over. Next morning, about eight o’clock, he was waked by his valet-de-chambre, who told him that two of the gentlemen with whom he had spent the evening were in the house, and desired the favour of being admitted into his chamber99. He could not conceive the meaning of this extraordinary visit; and, ordering his man to show them enter into his apartment, beheld100 the person who had affronted101 him enter with the gentleman who had reprehended102 his rudeness.
He who had given the offence, after having made an apology for disturbing Mr. Pickle, told him that his friend there present had been with him early that morning, and proposed the alternative of either fighting with him immediately, or coming to beg pardon for his unmannerly deportment over-night: that though he had courage enough to face any man in the field in a righteous cause, he was not so brutal103 as to disobey the dictates104 of his own duty and reflection, in consequence of which, and not out of any regard to the other’s menaces, which he despised, he had now taken the liberty of interrupting his repose105, that he might, as soon as possible, atone106 for the injury he had done him, which he protested was the effect of intoxication107 alone, and begged his forgiveness accordingly. Our hero accepted of this acknowledgment very graciously; thanked the other gentleman for the gallant1 part he had acted in his behalf; and perceiving that his companion was a little irritated at his officious interposition, effected a reconciliation108, by convincing him that what he had done was for the honour of the company. He then kept them to his breakfast; expressed a desire of seeing their situation altered for the better; and the chaise being repaired, took his leave of his entertainers, who came to wish him a good journey, and with his attendants left Boulogne for the second time.
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1
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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libertine
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| n.淫荡者；adj.放荡的，自由思想的 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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piqued
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| v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 )；激起（好奇心） | |
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snares
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| n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 )；圈套；诱人遭受失败（丢脸、损失等）的东西；诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的第三人称单数 ) | |
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versed
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| adj. 精通，熟练 | |
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wedlock
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| n.婚姻，已婚状态 | |
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evade
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| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
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initiate
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| vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入 | |
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spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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implicit
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| a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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insinuate
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| vt.含沙射影地说，暗示 | |
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inflamed
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| 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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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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poignancy
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| n.辛酸事，尖锐 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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professing
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| 声称( profess的现在分词 )； 宣称； 公开表明； 信奉 | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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34
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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35
embryo
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| n.胚胎，萌芽的事物 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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40
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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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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phantom
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| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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44
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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45
sockets
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| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
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46
pillory
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| n.嘲弄；v.使受公众嘲笑；将…示众 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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48
ruffles
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| 褶裥花边( ruffle的名词复数 ) | |
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49
apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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50
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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51
brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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52
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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53
perused
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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54
bespoken
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| v.预定( bespeak的过去分词 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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55
compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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56
accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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57
adherence
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| n.信奉，依附，坚持，固着 | |
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58
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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enthusiasts
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| n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 ) | |
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schism
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| n.分派，派系，分裂 | |
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62
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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63
attachments
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| n.（用电子邮件发送的）附件( attachment的名词复数 )；附着；连接；附属物 | |
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undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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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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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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diurnal
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| adj.白天的，每日的 | |
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68
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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maxims
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| n.格言，座右铭( maxim的名词复数 ) | |
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70
industriously
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71
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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banishment
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| n.放逐，驱逐 | |
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impeach
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| v.弹劾；检举 | |
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75
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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76
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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80
beguiling
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| adj.欺骗的，诱人的v.欺骗( beguile的现在分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等） | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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82
bumpers
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| （汽车上的）保险杠，缓冲器( bumper的名词复数 ) | |
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83
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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84
dispels
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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88
rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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90
relinquish
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| v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手 | |
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appellation
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| n.名称，称呼 | |
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apostates
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| n.放弃原来信仰的人( apostate的名词复数 )；叛教者；脱党者；反叛者 | |
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93
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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94
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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95
intemperance
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| n.放纵 | |
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umbrage
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| n.不快；树荫 | |
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remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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100
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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101
affronted
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| adj.被侮辱的，被冒犯的v.勇敢地面对( affront的过去式和过去分词 )；相遇 | |
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102
reprehended
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| v.斥责，指摘，责备( reprehend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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103
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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104
dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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105
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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106
atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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107
intoxication
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| n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning | |
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108
reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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