The French Coquette entraps1 the Heart of the Jew, against whom Pallet enters into a Conspiracy2, by which Peregrine is again disappointed, and the Hebrew’s Incontinence exposed.
Meanwhile the French siren, balked3 in her design upon her English cully, who was so easily disheartened, and hung his ears in manifest despondence, rather than rather than run the risk of making a voyage that should be altogether unprofitable, resolved to practise her charms upon the Dutch merchant. She had already made such innovation upon his heart, that he cultivated her with peculiar4 complacency, gazed upon her with a most libidinous5 stare, and unbended his aspect into a grin that was truly Israelitish. The painter saw and was offended at this correspondence, which he considered as an insult upon his misfortune, as well as an evident preference of his rival; and, conscious of his own timidity, swallowed an extraordinary glass, that his invention might be stimulated7, and his resolution raised to the contrivance and execution of some scheme of revenge. The wine failed in the expected effect, and, without inspiring him with the plan, served only to quicken his desire of vengeance8; so that he communicated his purpose to his friend Peregrine, and begged his assistance; but our young gentleman was too intent upon his own affair to mind the concerns of any other person; and he declining to be engaged in the project, Pallet had recourse to the genius of Pickle9’s valet-de-chambre, who readily embarked10 in the undertaking11, and invented a plan, which was executed accordingly.
The evening being pretty far advanced, and the company separated into their respective apartments, Pickle repaired, in all the impatience12 of youth and desire, to the chamber13 of his charmer, and, finding the door unbolted, entered in a transport of joy. By the light of the room, which shone through the window, he was conducted to her bed, which he approached in the utmost agitation14; and perceiving her to all appearance asleep, essayed to wake her with a gentle kiss; but this method proved ineffectual, because she was determined15 to save herself the confusion of being an accomplice16 in his guilt17. He repeated the application, murmured a most passionate18 salutation in her ear, and took such other gentle methods of signifying his presence, as persuaded him that she was resolved to sleep, in spite of all his endeavours. Flushed with this supposition, he locked the door, in order to prevent interruption; and, stealing himself under the clothes, set fortune at defiance19, while he held the fair creature circled in his arms.
Nevertheless, near as he seemed to be to the happy accomplishment20 of his desire, his hope was again frustrated21 with a fearful noise, which in a moment awaked his Amanda in a fright, and for the present engaged all his attention. His valet-de-chambre, whom Pallet had consulted as a confederate in his revenge against the lady of pleasure and her gallant22, had hired of certain Bohemians, who chanced to lodge23 at the inn, a jackass adorned24 with bells, which, when everybody was retired25 to rest, and the Hebrew supposed to be bedded with his mistress, they led upstairs into a long thoroughfare, from which the chambers26 were detached on each side. The painter, perceiving the lady’s door ajar, according to his expectation, mounted this animal, with intention to ride into the room, and disturb the lovers in the midst of their mutual27 endearments28; but the ass6, true to its kind, finding himself bestrid by an unknown rider, instead of advancing in obedience29 to his conductor, retreated backward to the other end of the passage, in spite of all the efforts of the painter, who spurred, and kicked, and pummeled to no purpose. It was the noise of this contention30 between Pallet and the ass which invaded the ears of Peregrine and his mistress, neither of whom could form the least rational conjecture31 about the cause of such strange disturbance32, which increased as the animal approached their apartment. At length the bourrique’s retrograde motion was obstructed33 by the door, which it forced open in a twinkling, with one kick, and entered with such complication of sound as terrified the lady almost into a fit, and threw her lover into the utmost perplexity and confusion.
The painter, finding himself thus violently intruded34 into the bed-chamber of he knew not whom, and dreading35 the resentment36 of the possessor, who might discharge a pistol at him as a robber who had broken into his apartment, was overwhelmed with consternation37, and redoubled his exertion38 to accomplish a speedy retreat, sweating all the time with fear, and putting up petition to Heaven for his safety; but his obstinate39 companion, regardless of his situation, instead of submitting to his conduct, began to turn round like a millstone, the united sound of his feet and bells producing a most surprising concert. The unfortunate rider, whirling about in this manner, would have quitted his seat, and left the beast to his own amusement, but the rotation40 was so rapid, that the terror of a severe fall hindered him from attempting to dismount; and, in the desperation of his heart, he seized one of his ears, which he pinched so unmercifully, that the creature set up his throat, and brayed41 aloud.
This hideous42 exclamation43 was no sooner heard by the fair Fleming, already chilled with panic, and prepared with superstition44, than, believing herself visited by the devil, who was permitted to punish her for her infidelity to the marriage-bed, she uttered a scream, and began to repeat her pater noster with a loud voice. Her lover, finding himself under the necessity of retiring, started up, and, stung with the most violent pangs45 of rage and disappointment, ran directly to the spot from whence this diabolical46 noise seemed to proceed. There encountering the ass he discharged such a volley of blows at him and his rider, that the creature carried him off at a round trot47, and they roared in unison48 all the way. Having thus cleared the room of such disagreeable company, he went back to his mistress, and assuring her that this was only some foolish prank49 of Pallet, took his leave, with a promise of returning after the quiet of the inn should be re-established.
In the mean time, the noise of the bourrique, the cries of the painter, and the lady’s scream, had alarmed the whole house; and the ass, in the precipitation of his retreat, seeing people with lights before him, took shelter in the apartment for which he was at first designed, just as the Levite, aroused at the uproar50, had quitted his dulcinea, and was attempting to recover his own chamber unperceived. Seeing himself opposed by such an animal, mounted by a tall, meagre, lantern-jawed figure, half naked, with a white nightcap upon his head which added to the natural paleness of his complexion,— the Jew was sorely troubled in mind and believing it to be an apparition51 of Balaam and his ass, flew backward with a nimble pace, and crept under the bed, where he lay, concealed52. Mr. Jolter and the priest, who were the foremost of those who had been aroused by the noise, were not unmoved when they saw such a spectacle rushing into the chamber, whence the lady of pleasure began to shriek53. The governor made a full halt, and the Capuchin discovered no inclination54 to proceed. They were, however, by the pressure of the crowd that followed them, thrust forward to the door, through which the vision entered; and there Jolter, with great ceremony, complimented his reverence55 with the pas, beseeching56 him to walk in. The mendicant57 was too courteous58 and humble59 to accept this pre-eminence, and a very earnest dispute ensued; during which, the ass, in the course of his circuit, showed himself and rider, and in a trice decided60 the contest; for, struck with this second glimpse, both at one instant sprang backward with such force, as overturned their next men, who communicated the impulse to those that stood behind them, and these again to others; so that the whole passage was strewed61 with a long file of people, that lay in a line, like the sequel and dependence62 of a pack of cards.
In the midst of this havoc63, our hero returned from his own room with an air of astonishment64, asking the cause of this uproar. Receiving such hints of intelligence as Jolter’s consternation would permit him to give, he snatched the candle out of his hand, and advanced into the haunted chamber without hesitation65, being followed by all present, who broke forth66 into a long and loud peal67 of laughter, when they perceived the ludicrous source of their disquiet68. The painter himself made an effort to join their mirth; but he had been so harrowed by fear, and smarted so much with the pain of the discipline he had received from Pickle, that be could not, with all his endeavours, vanquish69 the ruefulness of his countenance70. His attempt served only to increase the awkwardness of his situation, which was not at all mended by the behaviour of the coquette, who, furious with her disappointment, slipped on a petticoat and bedgown, and springing upon him, like mother Hecuba, with her nails deprived all one side of his nose of the skin; and would not have left him an eye to see through, if some of the company had not rescued him from her unmerciful talons71. Provoked at this outrage72, as well as by her behaviour to him in the diligence, he publicly explained his intention in entering her chamber in this equipage; and missing the Hebrew among the spectators, assured them that he must have absconded73 somewhere in the apartment. In pursuance of this intimation, the room was immediately searched, and the mortified74 Levite pulled up by the heels from his lurking-place; so that Pallet had the good fortune, at last, to transfer the laugh from himself to his rival and the French inamorata, who accordingly underwent the ridicule75 of the whole audience.
1 entraps | |
v.使陷入圈套,使入陷阱( entrap的第三人称单数 ) | |
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2 conspiracy | |
n.阴谋,密谋,共谋 | |
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3 balked | |
v.畏缩不前,犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 );(指马)不肯跑 | |
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4 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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5 libidinous | |
adj.淫荡的 | |
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6 ass | |
n.驴;傻瓜,蠢笨的人 | |
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7 stimulated | |
a.刺激的 | |
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8 vengeance | |
n.报复,报仇,复仇 | |
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9 pickle | |
n.腌汁,泡菜;v.腌,泡 | |
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10 embarked | |
乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 ); 装载; 从事 | |
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11 undertaking | |
n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
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12 impatience | |
n.不耐烦,急躁 | |
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13 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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14 agitation | |
n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动 | |
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15 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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16 accomplice | |
n.从犯,帮凶,同谋 | |
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17 guilt | |
n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责 | |
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18 passionate | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,激昂的,易动情的,易怒的,性情暴躁的 | |
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19 defiance | |
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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20 accomplishment | |
n.完成,成就,(pl.)造诣,技能 | |
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21 frustrated | |
adj.挫败的,失意的,泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 );挫败;使受挫折;令人沮丧 | |
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22 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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23 lodge | |
v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆 | |
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24 adorned | |
[计]被修饰的 | |
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25 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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26 chambers | |
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅 | |
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27 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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28 endearments | |
n.表示爱慕的话语,亲热的表示( endearment的名词复数 ) | |
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29 obedience | |
n.服从,顺从 | |
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30 contention | |
n.争论,争辩,论战;论点,主张 | |
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31 conjecture | |
n./v.推测,猜测 | |
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32 disturbance | |
n.动乱,骚动;打扰,干扰;(身心)失调 | |
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33 obstructed | |
阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 ); 堵塞; 阻碍; 阻止 | |
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34 intruded | |
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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35 dreading | |
v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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36 resentment | |
n.怨愤,忿恨 | |
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37 consternation | |
n.大为吃惊,惊骇 | |
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38 exertion | |
n.尽力,努力 | |
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39 obstinate | |
adj.顽固的,倔强的,不易屈服的,较难治愈的 | |
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40 rotation | |
n.旋转;循环,轮流 | |
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41 brayed | |
v.发出驴叫似的声音( bray的过去式和过去分词 );发嘟嘟声;粗声粗气地讲话(或大笑);猛击 | |
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42 hideous | |
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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43 exclamation | |
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
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44 superstition | |
n.迷信,迷信行为 | |
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45 pangs | |
突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 ); 悲痛 | |
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46 diabolical | |
adj.恶魔似的,凶暴的 | |
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47 trot | |
n.疾走,慢跑;n.老太婆;现成译本;(复数)trots:腹泻(与the 连用);v.小跑,快步走,赶紧 | |
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48 unison | |
n.步调一致,行动一致 | |
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49 prank | |
n.开玩笑,恶作剧;v.装饰;打扮;炫耀自己 | |
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50 uproar | |
n.骚动,喧嚣,鼎沸 | |
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51 apparition | |
n.幽灵,神奇的现象 | |
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52 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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53 shriek | |
v./n.尖叫,叫喊 | |
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54 inclination | |
n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好 | |
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55 reverence | |
n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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56 beseeching | |
adj.恳求似的v.恳求,乞求(某事物)( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
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57 mendicant | |
n.乞丐;adj.行乞的 | |
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58 courteous | |
adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的 | |
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59 humble | |
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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60 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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61 strewed | |
v.撒在…上( strew的过去式和过去分词 );散落于;点缀;撒满 | |
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62 dependence | |
n.依靠,依赖;信任,信赖;隶属 | |
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63 havoc | |
n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱 | |
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64 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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65 hesitation | |
n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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66 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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67 peal | |
n.钟声;v.鸣响 | |
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68 disquiet | |
n.担心,焦虑 | |
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69 vanquish | |
v.征服,战胜;克服;抑制 | |
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70 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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71 talons | |
n.(尤指猛禽的)爪( talon的名词复数 );(如爪般的)手指;爪状物;锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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72 outrage | |
n.暴行,侮辱,愤怒;vt.凌辱,激怒 | |
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73 absconded | |
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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74 mortified | |
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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75 ridicule | |
v.讥讽,挖苦;n.嘲弄 | |
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