He makes another Effort to towards the Accomplishment1 of his Wish, which is postponed2 by a strange Accident.
He directed his valet-de-chambre, who was a thorough-paced pimp, to kindle3 some straw in the yard, and then pass by the door of her apartment, crying with a loud voice that the house was on fire. This alarm brought both ladies out of their chamber4 in a moment, and Peregrine, taking the advantage of their running to the street door, entered the room, concealed5 himself under a large table that stood in an unobserved corner. The nymphs, as soon as they understood the cause of his Mercury’s supposed affright, returned to their apartment, and, having said their prayers, undressed themselves, and went to bed. This scene, which fell under the observation of Pickle6, did not at all contribute to the cooling of his concupiscence, but on the contrary inflamed7 him to such a degree, that he could scarce restrain his impatience8, until, by her breathing deep, he concluded the fellow-lodger of his Amanda was asleep. This welcome note no sooner saluted9 his ears, than he crept to his charmer’s bedside, and placing himself on his knees, gently laid hold on her white hand, and pressed it to his lips. She had just begun to close her eyes, and enjoy the agreeable oppression of slumber10, when she was roused by this rape11, at which she started, pronouncing, in a tone of surprise and dismay, “My God! who’s that?”
The lover, with the most insinuating12 humility13, besought14 her to hear him; vowing15 that his intention, in approaching her thus, was not to violate the laws of decency16, or that indelible esteem17 which she had engraved18 on his heart; but to manifest his sorrow and contrition19 for the umbrage20 he had given, to pour forth21 the overflowings of his soul, and tell her that he neither could nor would survive her displeasure. These and many more pathetic protestations, accompanied with sighs and tears and other expressions of grief, which our hero had at command, could not fail to melt the tender heart of the Fleming, already prepossessed in favour of his qualifications. She sympathized so much with his affliction, as to weep in her turn, when she represented the impossibility of her rewarding his passion; and he, seizing the moment, reinforced his solicitations with such irresistible23 transports, that her resolution gave way, she began to breathe quick, expressed her fear of being overheard by the other lady, with an ejaculation of “O heavens! I’m undone,” suffered him, after a faint struggle, to make a lodgment upon the covered way of her bed. Her honour, however, was secured for the present, by a strange sort of knocking upon the wainscot, at the other end of the room, hard by the bed in which the female adventurer lay.
Surprised at this circumstance, the lady begged him for heaven’s sake to retreat, or her reputation would be ruined for ever; but when he represented to her, that her character would run a much greater risk if he should be detected in withdrawing, she consented, with great trepidation24, to his stay, and they listened in silence to the sequel of the noise that alarmed them. This was no other than an expedient25 of the painter to awaken26 his dulcinea, with whom he had made an assignation, or at least interchanged such signals as he thought amounted to a firm appointment. His nymph, being disturbed in her first sleep, immediately understood the sound, and, true to the agreement, rose; and, unbolting the door, as softly as possible, gave him admittance; leaving it open for his more commodious28 retreat.
While this happy gallant29 was employed in disengaging himself from the deshabille in which he had entered, the Capuchin, suspecting that Peregrine would make another attempt upon his charge, had crept silently to the apartment in order to reconnoitre, lest the adventure should be achieved without his knowledge; a circumstance that would deprive him of the profits he might expect from his privity and concurrence30. Finding the door unlatched, his suspicion was confirmed, and he made no scruple31 of creeping into the chamber on all four; so that the painter, having stripped himself to the shirt, in groping about for his dulcinea’s bed, chanced to lay his hand upon the shaven crown of the father’s head, which, by a circular motion, the priest began to turn round in his grasp, like a ball in a socket32, to the surprise and consternation33 of poor Pallet, who, neither having penetration34 to comprehend the case, nor resolution to withdraw his fingers from this strange object of his touch, stood sweating in the dark, and venting35 ejaculations with great devotion.
The friar, tired with this exercise, and the painful posture36 in which he stooped, raised himself gradually upon his feet, heaving up at the same time the hand of the painter, whose terror and amazement37 increased to such a degree at this unaccountable elevation38, that his faculties39 began to fail; and his palm, in the confusion of his fright, sliding over the priest’s forehead, one of his fingers happened to slip into his mouth, and was immediately secured between the Capuchin’s teeth with as firm a fixture40 as if it had been screwed in a blacksmith’s vice41.
The painter was so much disordered by this sudden snap, which tortured him to the bone, that, forgetting all other considerations, he roared aloud, “Murder! a fire! a trap, a trap! help, Christians42, for the love of God, help!” Our hero, confounded by these exclamation43, which he knew would soon fill the room with spectators, and incensed44 at his own mortifying45 disappointment, was obliged to quit the untasted banquet, and, approaching the cause of his misfortune, just as his tormentor46 had thought proper to release his finger, discharged such a hearty47 slap between his shoulders, as brought him to the ground with hideous48 bellowing49; then, retiring unperceived to his own chamber, was one of the first who returned with a light, on pretence50 of having been alarmed with his cries. The Capuchin had taken the same precaution, and followed Peregrine into the room, pronouncing benedicite, and crossing himself with many marks of astonishment51. The physician and Jolter appearing at the same time, the unfortunate painter was found lying naked on the floor, in all the agony of horror and dismay, blowing upon his left hand, that hung dangling52 from the elbow. The circumstance of his being found in that apartment, and the attitude of his affliction, which was extremely ridiculous, provoked the doctor to a smile, and produced a small relaxation53 in the severity of the governor’s countenance54; while Pickle, testifying his surprise and concern, lifted him from the ground, and inquired into the cause of his present situation.
Having, after some recollection, and fruitless endeavours to speak, recovered the use of his tongue, he told them that the house was certainly haunted by evil spirits, by which he had been conveyed, he knew not how, into that apartment, and afflicted55 with all the tortures of hell: that one of them had made itself sensible to his feeling, in the shape of a round ball of smooth flesh, which turned round under his hand, like an astronomer’s globe; and then, rising up to a surprising height, was converted into a machine that laid hold on his finger, by a snap; and having pinned him to the spot, he continued for some moments in unspeakable agony. At last, he said, the engine seemed to melt away from his finger, and he received a sudden thwack upon his shoulders, as if discharged by the arm of a giant, which overthrew56 him in an instant upon the floor.
The priest, hearing this strange account, pulled out of one of his pouches57 a piece of consecrated58 candle, which he lighted immediately, and muttered certain mysterious conjurations. Jolter, imagining that Pallet was drunk, shook his head, saying, he believed the spirit was nowhere but in his own brain. The physician for once condescended59 to be a wag, and, looking towards one of the beds, observed, that, in his opinion, the painter had been misled by the flesh, and not by the spirit. The fair Fleming lay in silent astonishment and affright; and her fellow in order to acquit60 herself of all suspicion, exclaimed with incredible volubility against the author of this uproar61, who, she did not doubt, had concealed himself in the apartment with a view of perpetuating62 some wicked attempt upon her precious virtue63, and was punished and prevented by the immediate27 interposition of heaven. At her desire, therefore, and at the earnest solicitation22 of the other lady, he was conducted to his own bed; and the chamber being evacuated64, they locked their door, fully65 resolved to admit no more visitants for that night: while Peregrine, mad with seeing the delicious morsel66 snatched, as it were, from his very lip, stalked through the passage like a ghost, in hope of finding some opportunity of re-entering; till the day beginning to break, he was obliged to retire, cursing the idiotical conduct of the painter, which had so unluckily interfered67 with his delight.
1 accomplishment | |
n.完成,成就,(pl.)造诣,技能 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 postponed | |
vt.& vi.延期,缓办,(使)延迟vt.把…放在次要地位;[语]把…放在后面(或句尾)vi.(疟疾等)延缓发作(或复发) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 kindle | |
v.点燃,着火 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 pickle | |
n.腌汁,泡菜;v.腌,泡 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 inflamed | |
adj.发炎的,红肿的v.(使)变红,发怒,过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 impatience | |
n.不耐烦,急躁 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 saluted | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 slumber | |
n.睡眠,沉睡状态 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 rape | |
n.抢夺,掠夺,强奸;vt.掠夺,抢夺,强奸 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 insinuating | |
adj.曲意巴结的,暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 );巧妙或迂回地潜入;(使)缓慢进入;慢慢伸入 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 humility | |
n.谦逊,谦恭 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 besought | |
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) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 vowing | |
起誓,发誓(vow的现在分词形式) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 decency | |
n.体面,得体,合宜,正派,庄重 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 esteem | |
n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 engraved | |
v.在(硬物)上雕刻(字,画等)( engrave的过去式和过去分词 );将某事物深深印在(记忆或头脑中) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 contrition | |
n.悔罪,痛悔 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 umbrage | |
n.不快;树荫 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 solicitation | |
n.诱惑;揽货;恳切地要求;游说 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 irresistible | |
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 trepidation | |
n.惊恐,惶恐 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 expedient | |
adj.有用的,有利的;n.紧急的办法,权宜之计 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 awaken | |
vi.醒,觉醒;vt.唤醒,使觉醒,唤起,激起 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 commodious | |
adj.宽敞的;使用方便的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 concurrence | |
n.同意;并发 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 scruple | |
n./v.顾忌,迟疑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 socket | |
n.窝,穴,孔,插座,插口 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 consternation | |
n.大为吃惊,惊骇 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 penetration | |
n.穿透,穿人,渗透 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 venting | |
消除; 泄去; 排去; 通风 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 posture | |
n.姿势,姿态,心态,态度;v.作出某种姿势 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 amazement | |
n.惊奇,惊讶 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 elevation | |
n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 faculties | |
n.能力( faculty的名词复数 );全体教职员;技巧;院 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 fixture | |
n.固定设备;预定日期;比赛时间;定期存款 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 vice | |
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 Christians | |
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 exclamation | |
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 incensed | |
盛怒的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 mortifying | |
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) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 tormentor | |
n. 使苦痛之人, 使苦恼之物, 侧幕 =tormenter | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 hearty | |
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 hideous | |
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 bellowing | |
v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的现在分词 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 pretence | |
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 dangling | |
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 ); 摆动不定; 用某事物诱惑…; 吊胃口 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 relaxation | |
n.松弛,放松;休息;消遣;娱乐 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 afflicted | |
使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 overthrew | |
overthrow的过去式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 pouches | |
n.(放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的)小袋( pouch的名词复数 );(袋鼠等的)育儿袋;邮袋;(某些动物贮存食物的)颊袋 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 consecrated | |
adj.神圣的,被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣,给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 );奉献 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 condescended | |
屈尊,俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 ); 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 acquit | |
vt.宣判无罪;(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 uproar | |
n.骚动,喧嚣,鼎沸 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 perpetuating | |
perpetuate的现在进行式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 evacuated | |
撤退者的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66 morsel | |
n.一口,一点点 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67 interfered | |
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 );调停;妨碍;干涉 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |