By the Fidelity1 of Pipes, Jolter is informed of his Pupil’s fate — Confers with the Physician — Applies to the Ambassador, who, with great difficulty, obtains the Discharge of the Prisoners on certain Conditions.
This plan he executed, notwithstanding the pain of his wound, and the questions of the city-guard, both horse and foot, to which he could make no other answer than “Anglais, anglais;” and as soon as it was light, taking an accurate survey of the castle (for such it seemed to be) into which Peregrine and Pallet had been conveyed, together with its situation in respect to the river, he went home to the lodgings3, and, waking Mr. Jolter, gave him an account of the adventure. The governor wrung4 his hands in the utmost grief and consternation5 when he heard this unfortunate piece of news: he did not doubt that his pupil was imprisoned6 in the Bastille for life; and, in the anguish7 of his apprehension8, cursed the day on which he had undertaken to superintend the conduct of such an imprudent young man, who had, by reiterated9 insults, provoked the vengeance10 of such a mild, forbearing administration. That he might not, however, neglect any means in his power to extricate11 him from his present misfortune, he despatched Thomas to the doctor, with an account of his companion’s fate, that they might join their interest in behalf of the captives; and the physician, being informed of what had happened, immediately dressed himself, and repaired to Jolter, whom he accosted12 in these words:—
“Now, sir, I hope you are convinced of your error in asserting that oppression can never be the effect of arbitrary power. Such a calamity13 as this could never have happened under the Athenian democracy: nay14, even when the tyrant15 Pisistratus got possession of that commonwealth16, he durst not venture to rule with such absolute and unjust dominion17. You shall see now that Mr. Pickle18 and my friend Pallet will fall a sacrifice to the tyranny of lawless power; and, in my opinion, we shall be accessory to the ruin of this poor enslaved people if we bestir ourselves in demanding or imploring19 the release of our unhappy countrymen; as we may thereby20 prevent the commission of a flagrant crime, which would fill up the vengeance of Heaven against the perpetrators, and perhaps be the means of restoring the whole nation to the unspeakable fruition of freedom. For my own part, I should rejoice to see the blood of my father spilt in such a glorious cause, provided such a victim would furnish me with the opportunity of dissolving the chains of slavery, and vindicating21 that liberty which is the birthright of man. Then would my name be immortalised among the patriot22 heroes of antiquity23, and my memory, like that of Harmodius and Aristogiton, be honoured by statues erected24 at the public expense.”
This rhapsody, which was delivered with great emphasis and agitation25, gave so much offence to Jolter, that, without saying one word, he retired26 in great wrath27 to his own chamber28; and the republican returned to his lodging2, in full hope of his prognostic being verified in the death and destruction of Peregrine and the painter, which must give rise to some renowned29 revolution, wherein he himself would act a principal part. But the governor whose imagination was not quite so warm and prolific30, went directly to the ambassador, whom he informed of his pupil’s situation, and besought31 to interpose with the French ministry32, that he and the other British subject might obtain their liberty.
His excellency asked, if Jolter could guess at the cause of his imprisonment33, that he might be the better prepared to vindicate34 or excuse his conduct: but neither he nor Pipes could give the smallest hint of intelligence on that subject; though he furnished himself from Tom’s own mouth with a circumstantial account of the manner in which his master had been arrested, as well as of his own behaviour, and the disaster he had received on that occasion. His lordship never doubted that Pickle had brought this calamity upon himself by some unlucky prank35 he had played at the masquerade; when he understood that the young gentleman had drunk freely in the afternoon, and been so whimsical as to go thither36 with a man in woman’s apparel; and he that same day waited on the French minister, in full confidence of obtaining his discharge; but met with more difficulty than he expected, the court of France being extremely punctilious37 in everything that concerns a prince of the blood: the ambassador was therefore obliged to talk in very high terms; and, though the present circumstances of the French politics would not allow them to fall out with the British administration for trifles, all the favour he could procure38 was to promise that Pickle should L set at liberty, provided he would ask pardon of the prince to whom he bad given offence.
His excellency thought this was but a reasonable condescension39, supposing Peregrine to have been in the wrong; and Jolter was admitted to him in order to communicate and reinforce his lordship’s advice, which was, that he comply with the terms proposed. The governor, who did not enter this gloomy fortress40 without fear and trembling, found his pupil in a dismal41 apartment, void of all furniture but a stool and a truckle-bed. The moment he was admitted, he perceived the youth whistling with great unconcern, and working with his pencil at the bare wall, on which he had delineated a ludicrous figure labelled with the name of the nobleman, whom he had affronted42, and an English mastiff with his leg lifted up, in the attitude of making water in his shoe. He had been even so presumptuous43 as to explain the device with satirical inscriptions44 in the French language, which, when Jolter perused45, his hair stood on end with affright. The very turnkey was confounded and overawed by the boldness of his behaviour, which he had never seen matched by any inhabitant of that place; and actually joined his friend in persuading him to submit to the easy demand of the minister. But our hero, far from embracing the counsel of this advocate, handed him to the door with great ceremony, and dismissed him with a kick on the breeches; and, to all the supplications, and even tears of Jolter, made no other reply than that he would stoop to no condescension, because he had committed no crime, but would leave his case to the cognisance and exertion46 of the British court, whose duty it was to see justice done to its own subjects: he desired, however, that Pallet, who was confined in another place, might avail himself of his own disposition47, which was sufficiently48 pliable49; but when the governor desired to see his fellow-prisoner, the turnkey gave him to understand that he had received no orders relating to the lady, and therefore could not admit him into her apartment; though he was complaisant50 enough to tell him that she seemed very much mortified51 at her confinement52, and at certain times behaved as if her brain was not a little disordered.
Jolter, thus baffled in all his endeavours, quitted the Bastille with a heavy heart, and reported his fruitless negotiation53 to the ambassador, who could not help breaking forth54 into some acrimonious55 expressions against the obstinacy56 and insolence57 of the young man, who, he said, deserved to suffer for his folly58. Nevertheless, he did not desist from his representations to the French ministry, which he found so unyielding, that he was obliged to threaten, in plain terms, to make it a national concern; and not only wrote to his court for instructions, but even advised the council to make reprisals59, and send some French gentleman in London to the Tower.
This intimation had an effect upon the ministry at Versailles, who, rather than run the risk of incensing60 a people whom it was neither their interest nor inclination61 to disoblige, consented to discharge the offenders62, on condition that they should leave Paris in three days after their enlargement. This proposal was readily agreed to by Peregrine, who was now a little more tractable63, and heartily64 tired of being cooped up in such an uncomfortable abode65, for the space of three long days, without any sort of communication or entertainment but that which his own imagination suggested.
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1
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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2
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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extricate
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| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
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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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calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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commonwealth
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| n.共和国，联邦，共同体 | |
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dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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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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patriot
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| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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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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renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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prolific
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| adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的 | |
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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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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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vindicate
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| v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确 | |
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prank
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| n.开玩笑，恶作剧；v.装饰；打扮；炫耀自己 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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punctilious
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| adj.谨慎的，谨小慎微的 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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40
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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41
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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42
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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43
presumptuous
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| adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的 | |
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44
inscriptions
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| （作者）题词( inscription的名词复数 )； 献词； 碑文； 证劵持有人的登记 | |
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45
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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46
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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47
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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48
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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49
pliable
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| adj.易受影响的；易弯的；柔顺的，易驾驭的 | |
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50
complaisant
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| adj.顺从的，讨好的 | |
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51
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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52
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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53
negotiation
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| n.谈判，协商 | |
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54
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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acrimonious
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| adj.严厉的，辛辣的，刻毒的 | |
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56
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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57
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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58
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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59
reprisals
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| n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 ) | |
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60
incensing
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| 焚香，烧香（incense的现在分词形式） | |
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61
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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offenders
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| n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物） | |
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tractable
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| adj.易驾驭的；温顺的 | |
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64
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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