The Painter is persuaded to accompany Pickle1 to a Masquerade in Woman’s Apparel —-Is engaged in a troublesome Adventure, and, with his Companion, conveyed to the Bastille.
The painter, at the request of Pickle, who had a design upon the count’s sense of hearing, favoured the company with the song of Bumper2 Squire3 Jones, which yielded infinite satisfaction to the baron4, but affected5 the delicate ears of the Italian in such a manner, that his features expressed astonishment6 and disquiet7; and by his sudden and repeated journeys to the door, it plainly appeared, that he was in the same predicament with those who, as Shakespeare observes, “when the bagpipe8 sings in the nose, cannot contain their urine for affection.”
With a view, therefore, of vindicating9 music from such a barbarous taste. Mr. Pallet had no sooner performed his task, than the count honoured his friends with some favourite airs of his own country, which he warbled with infinite grace and expression, though he had not energy sufficient to engage the attention of the German, who fell fast asleep upon his couch, and snored so loud, as to interrupt, and totally annul10, this ravishing entertainment; so that they were fain to have recourse again to the glass, which made such innovation upon the brain of the physician, that he sang divers11 odes of Anacreon. to a tune12 of his own composing, and held forth13 upon the music and recitative of the ancients with great erudition; while Pallet, having found means to make the Italian acquainted with the nature of his profession, harangued14 upon painting with wonderful volubility, in a language which (it was well for his own credit) the stranger did not understand.
At length the doctor was seized with such a qualm, that he begged Peregrine to lead him to his chamber15; and the baron, being waked, retired16 with the count. Peregrine, being rendered frolicsome17 with the wine he had drunk, proposed that he and Pallet should go to a masquerade, which he recollected18 was to be given that night. The painter did not want curiosity and inclination19 to accompany him, but expressed his apprehension20 of losing him in the ball; an accident which could not fail to be very disagreeable, as he was an utter stranger to the language and the town. To obviate21 this objection, the landlady22, who was of their council, advised him to appear in a woman’s dress, which would lay his companion under the necessity of attending him with more care, as he could not with decency23 detach himself from the lady whom he should introduce; besides, such a connection would hinder the ladies of pleasure from accosting24 and employing their seducing25 arts upon a person already engaged.
Our young gentleman foreseeing the abundance of diversion in the execution of this project, seconded the proposal with such importunity26 and address, that the painter allowed himself to be habited in a suit belonging to the landlady, who also procured27 for him a mask and domino, while Pickle provided himself with a Spanish dress. In this disguise, which they put on about eleven o’clock, did they, attended by Pipes, set out in a fiacre for the ball-room, into which Pickle led this supposititious female, to the astonishment of the whole company, who had never seen such an uncouth28 figure in the appearance of a woman.
After they had taken a view of all the remarkable29 masks, and the painter had been treated with a of glass of liqueur, his mischievous30 companion gave him the slip; and, vanishing in an instant, returned with another mask and a domino over his habit, that he might enjoy Pallet’s perplexity, and be at hand to protect him from insult. The poor painter, having lost his guide, was almost distracted with anxiety, and stalked about the room, in quest of him, with such huge strides and oddity of gesture, that he was followed by a whole multitude, who gazed at him as a preternatural phenomenon. This attendance increased his uneasiness to such a degree, that he could not help uttering a soliloquy aloud, in which he cursed his fate for having depended upon the promise of such a wag; and swore, that if once he was clear of this scrape, he would not bring himself into such a premunire again for the whole kingdom of France.
Divers petit-maitres, understanding the mask was a foreigner, who in all probability could not speak French, made up to him in their turns, in order to display their wit and address, and teased him with several arch questions, to which he made no other reply than “No parly Francy. D— your chattering31! Go about your business, can’t ye.” Among the masks was a nobleman, who began to be very free with the supposed lady, and attempted to plunge33 his hand into her bosom34: hut the painter was too modest to suffer such indecent treatment; and when the gallant35 repeated his efforts in a manner still more indelicate, lent him such a box on the ear, as made the lights dance before him, and created such a suspicion of Pallet’s sex, that the Frenchman swore he was either a male or a hermaphrodite, and insisted upon a scrutiny36, for the sake of his own honour, with such obstinacy37 of resentment38, that the nymph was in imminent39 danger, not only of being exposed, but also undergoing severe chastisement40, for having made so free with the prince’s ear; when Peregrine, who saw and overheard everything that passed, thought it was high time to interpose; and accordingly asserted his pretensions41 to the insulted lady, who was overjoyed at this proof of his protection.
The affronted42 gallant persevered43 in demanding to know who she was, and our hero as strenuously44 refused to give him that satisfaction: so that high words ensued; and the prince threatening to punish his insolence45, the young gentleman, who was not supposed to know his quality, pointed46 to the place where his own sword used to hang, and, snapping his fingers in his face, laid hold on the painter’s arm, and led him to another part of the room, leaving his antagonist47 to the meditations48 of his own revenge.
Pallet, having chid49 his conductor for his barbarous desertion, made him acquainted with the difficulty in which he had been involved; and flatly telling him he would not put it in his power to give him the slip again, held fast by his arm during the remaining part of the entertainment, to the no small diversion of the company, whose attention was altogether engrossed50 in the contemplation of such an awkward, ungainly, stalking apparition51. At last Pickle, being tired of exhibiting this raree-show, complied with the repeated desires of his companion, and handed her into the coach; which he himself had no sooner entered, than they were surrounded by a file of musqueteers, commanded by an exempt52, who, ordering the coach-door to be opened, took his place with great deliberation, while one of his detachment mounted the box, in order to direct the driver.
Peregrine at once conceived the meaning of this arrest, and it was well for him that he had no weapon wherewith to stand upon his defence; for such was the impetuosity and rashness of his temper, that, had he been armed, he would have run all risks rather than surrender himself to any odds53 whatever; but Pallet, imagining that the officer was some gentleman who had mistaken their carriage for his own, desired his friend to undeceive the stranger; and when he was informed of the real state of their condition, his knees began to shake, his teeth to chatter32, and he uttered a most doleful lamentation54, importing his fear of being carried to some hideous55 dungeon56 of the Bastille, where he should spend the rest of his days in misery57 and horror, and never see the light of God’s sun, nor the face of a friend; but perish in a foreign land, far removed from his family and connexions. Pickle d — d him for his pusillanimity58; and the exempt hearing a lady bemoan59 herself so piteously, expressed his mortification60 at being the instrument of giving her such pain, and endeavoured to console them by representing the lenity of the French government, and the singular generosity61 of the prince, by whose order they were apprehended62.
Peregrine, whose discretion63 seemed to forsake64 him on all such occasions, exclaimed, with great bitterness, against the arbitrary administration of France, and inveighed65, with many expressions of contempt, against the character of the offended prince, whose resentment, far from being noble, he mid66, was pitiful, ungenerous, and unjust. To this remonstrance67 the officer made no reply, but shrugged68 up his shoulders in silent astonishment at the hardiesse of the prisoner; and the fiacre was just on the point of setting out, when they heard the noise of a scuffle at the back of the coach, and the voice of Tom Pipes pronouncing, “I’ll be d — d if I do.” This trusty attendant had been desired by one of the guards to descend69 from his station in the rear; but as he resolved to share his master’s fate, he took no notice of their entreaties70, until they were seconded by force; and that he endeavoured to repeal71 with his heel, which he applied72 with such energy to the jaws73 of the soldier, who first came in contact with him, that they emitted a crashing sound like a dried walnut74 between the grinders of a Templar in the pit. Exasperated75 at this outrage76, the other saluted77 Tom’s posteriors with his bayonet, which incommoded him so much that he could no longer keep his post, but, leaping upon the ground, gave his antagonist a chuck under the chin, and laid him upon his back, then skipping over him with infinite agility78, absconded79 among the crowd of coaches, till he saw the guard mount before and behind upon his master’s fiacre, which no sooner set forward, than he followed at a small distance, to reconnoitre the place where Peregrine should be confined. After having proceeded slowly through many windings80 and turnings to a part of Paris, in which Pipes was an utter stranger, the coach stopped at a great gate, with a wicket in the middle, which, being opened at the approach of the carriage, the prisoners were admitted; and, the guard returning with the fiacre, Tom determined81 to watch in that place all night, that, in the morning, he might make such observations as might be conducive82 to the enlargement of his master.
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1
pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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bumper
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| n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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disquiet
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| n.担心，焦虑 | |
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bagpipe
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| n.风笛 | |
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vindicating
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| v.澄清（某人/某事物）受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的现在分词 )；表明或证明（所争辩的事物）属实、正当、有效等；维护 | |
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annul
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| v.宣告…无效，取消，废止 | |
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divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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harangued
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| v.高谈阔论( harangue的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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frolicsome
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| adj.嬉戏的，闹着玩的 | |
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recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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obviate
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| v.除去，排除，避免，预防 | |
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landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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accosting
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的现在分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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seducing
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| 诱奸( seduce的现在分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷 | |
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importunity
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| n.硬要，强求 | |
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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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uncouth
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| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
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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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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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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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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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chastisement
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| n.惩罚 | |
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pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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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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persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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strenuously
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| adv.奋发地，费力地 | |
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45
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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48
meditations
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| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
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chid
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| v.责骂，责备( chide的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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52
exempt
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| adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者 | |
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53
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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lamentation
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| n.悲叹，哀悼 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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dungeon
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| n.地牢，土牢 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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pusillanimity
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| n.无气力，胆怯 | |
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bemoan
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| v.悲叹，哀泣，痛哭；惋惜，不满于 | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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inveighed
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| v.猛烈抨击，痛骂，谩骂( inveigh的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mid
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| adj.中央的，中间的 | |
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remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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repeal
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| n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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walnut
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| n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色 | |
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exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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absconded
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| v.（尤指逃避逮捕）潜逃，逃跑( abscond的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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windings
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| （道路、河流等）蜿蜒的，弯曲的( winding的名词复数 )； 缠绕( wind的现在分词 )； 卷绕； 转动（把手） | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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conducive
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| adj.有益的，有助的 | |
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