Sees his Sister happily married — Visits Emilia, who receives him according to his Deserts.
Her brother being of opinion, that Mr. Clover’s proposal was not to be neglected, especially as Julia’s heart was engaged in his favour, communicated the affair to his uncle, who, with the approbation1 of Mrs. Trunnion, declared himself well satisfied with the young man’s addresses, and desired that they might be buckled2 with all expedition, without the knowledge or concurrence3 of her parents, to whom (on account of their unnatural4 barbarity) she was not bound to pay the least regard. Though our adventurer entertained the same sentiments of the matter, and the lover, dreading5 some obstruction6, earnestly begged the immediate7 condescension8 of his mistress, she could not be prevailed upon to take such a material step, without having first solicited9 the permission of her father; resolved, nevertheless, to comply with the dictates10 of her own heart, should his objections be frivolous11 or unjust.
Urged by this determination, her admirer waited upon Mr. Gamaliel at the public-house, and, with the appearance of great deference12 and respect, made him acquainted with his affection for his daughter, communicated the particulars of his fortune, with the terms of settlement he was ready to make; and in conclusion told him, that he would marry her without a portion. This last offer seemed to have some weight with the father, who received it with civility, and promised in a day or two to favour him with a final answer to his demand. He, accordingly, that same evening consulted his wife, who, being exasperated13 at the prospect14 of her daughter’s independency, argued with the most virulent15 expostulation against the match, as an impudent16 scheme of her own planning, with a view of insulting her parents, towards whom she had already been guilty of the most vicious disobedience. In short, she used such remonstrances17, as not only averted19 this weak husband’s inclination20 from the proposal which he had relished21 before, but even instigated22 him to apply for a warrant to apprehend23 his daughter, on the supposition that she was about to bestow24 herself in marriage without his privity or consent.
The justice of peace to whom this application was made, though he could not refuse the order, yet, being no stranger to the malevolence25 of the mother, which, together with Gamaliel’s simplicity26, was notorious in the county, he sent an intimation of what had happened to the garrison27; upon which a couple of sentinels were placed on the gate, and at the pressing solicitation28 of the lover, as well as the desire of the commodore, her brother, and aunt, Julia was wedded29 without further delay, the ceremony being performed by Mr. Jolter, because the parish priest prudently30 declined any occasion of giving offence, and the curate was too much in the interest of their enemies to be employed in that office.
This domestic concern being settled to the satisfaction of our hero, he escorted her next day to the house of her husband, who immediately wrote a letter to her father, declaring his reasons for having thus superseded32 his authority; and Mrs. Pickle33’s mortification34 was unspeakable.
That the new-married couple might be guarded against all insult, our young gentleman and his friend Hatchway, with their adherents35, lodged36 in Mr. Clover’s house for some weeks; during which they visited their acquaintance in the neighbourhood, according to custom. When the tranquility of their family was perfectly37 established, and the contract of the marriage executed in the presence of the old commodore and his lady, who gave her niece five hundred pounds to purchase jewels and clothes, Mr. Peregrine could no longer restrain his impatience38 to see his dear Emily; and told his uncle, that next day he proposed to ride across the country, in order to visit his friend Gauntlet, whom he had not heard of for a long time.
The old gentleman, looking steadfastly39 in his face, “Ah! D— n your cunning!” said he, “I find the anchor holds fast! I did suppose as how you would have slipt your cable, and changed your berth40; but, I see, when a young fellow is once brought up by a pretty wench, he may man his capstans and viol block, if he wool; but he’ll as soon heave up the Pike of Teneriffe, as bring his anchor aweigh! Odds41 heartlikins! had I known the young woman was Ned Gauntlet’s daughter, I shouldn’t have thrown out signal for leaving off chase.”
Our adventurer was not a little surprised to hear the commodore talk in this style; and immediately conjectured42 that his friend Godfrey had informed him of the whole affair. Instead of listening to this approbation of his flame, with those transports of joy which he would have felt, had he retained his former sentiments, he was chagrined43 at Trunnion’s declaration, and offended at the presumption45 of the young soldier, in presuming to disclose the secret with which he had entrusted46 him. Reddening with these reflections, he assured the commodore that he never had serious thoughts of matrimony; so that if any person had told him he was under any engagement of that kind, he had abused his ear; for he protested that he would never contract such attachments47 without his knowledge and express permission.
Trunnion commended him for his prudent31 resolution, and observed, that, though no person mentioned to him what promises had passed betwixt him and his sweetheart, it was very plain that he had made love to her, and therefore it was to be supposed that his intentions were honourable48; for he could not believe he was such a rogue49 in his heart, as to endeavour to debauch50 the daughter of a brave officer, who had served his country with credit and reputation. Notwithstanding this remonstrance18, which Pickle imputed51 to the commodore’s ignorance of the world, he set out for the habitation of Mrs. Gauntlet, with the unjustifiable sentiments of a man of pleasure, who sacrifices every consideration to the desire of his ruling appetite; and, as Winchester lay in his way, resolved to visit some of his friends who lived in that place. It was in the house of one of these that he was informed of Emilia’s being then in town with her mother; upon which he excused himself from staying to drink tea, and immediately repaired to their lodgings52, according to the directions he had received.
When he arrived at the door, instead of undergoing that perturbation of spirits, which a lover in his interesting situation might be supposed to feel, he suffered no emotion but that of vanity and pride, favoured with an opportunity of self-gratification, and entered his Emilia’s apartment with the air of a conceited53 petit-maitre, rather than that of the respectful admirer, when he visits the object of his passion, after an absence of seventeen months.
The young lady, having been very much disobliged at his mortifying54 neglect of her brother’s letter, had summoned all her own pride and resolution to her aid; and, by means of a happy disposition55, so far overcame her chagrin44 at his indifference56, that she was able to behave in his presence with apparent tranquility and ease. She was even pleased to find he had, by accident, chosen a time for his visit when she was surrounded by two or three young gentlemen, who professed57 themselves her admirers. Our gallant58 was no sooner announced, than she collected all her coquetry, put on the gayest air she could assume, and contrived59 to giggle60 just as he appeared at the room door. The compliments of salutation being performed, she welcomed him to England in a careless manner, asked the news of Paris, and, before he could make any reply, desired one of the other gentlemen to proceed with the sequel of that comical adventure, in the relation of which he had been interrupted.
Peregrine smiled within himself at this behaviour, which, without all doubt, he believed she had affected61 to punish him for his unkind silence while he was abroad, being fully62 persuaded that her heart was absolutely at his devotion. On this supposition, he practised his Parisian improvements on the art of conversation, and uttered a thousand prettinesses in the way of compliment, with such incredible rotation63 of tongue, that his rivals were struck dumb with astonishment64, and Emilia fretted65 out of all temper, at seeing herself deprived of the prerogative66 of the sex. He persisted, however, in this surprising loquacity67, until the rest of the company thought proper to withdraw, and then contracted his discourse68 into the focus of love, which now put on a very different appearance from that which it had formerly69 worn. Instead of awful veneration70, which her presence used to inspire, that chastity of sentiment, and delicacy71 of expression, he now gazed upon her with the eyes of a libertine72, he glowed with the impatience of desire, talked in a strain that barely kept within the bounds of decency73, and attempted to snatch such favours, as she, in the tenderness of mutual74 acknowledgments, had once vouchsafed75 to bestow.
Grieved and offended as she was, at this palpable alteration76 in his carriage, she disdained77 to remind him of his former deportment, and, with dissembled good-humour, rallied him on the progress he had made in gallantry and address. But, far from submitting to the liberties he would have taken, she kept her person sacred from his touch, and would not even suffer him to ravish a kiss of her fair hand; so that he reaped no other advantage from the exercise of his talents, during this interview, which lasted a whole hour, than that of knowing he had overrated his own importance, and that Emily’s heart was not a garrison likely to surrender at discretion78.
At length his addresses were interrupted by the arrival of the mother, who had gone abroad to visit by herself; and the conversation becoming more general, he understood that Godfrey was at London, soliciting79 for a lieutenancy80 that had fallen vacant in the regiment81 to which he belonged; and that Miss Sophy was at home with her father.
Though our adventurer had not met with all the success he expected by his first visit, he did not despair of reducing the fortress82, believing that in time there would be a mutiny in his favour, and accordingly carried on the siege for several days, without profiting by his perseverance83; till, at length, having attended the ladies to their own house in the country, he began to look upon this adventure as time misspent, and resolved to discontinue his attack, in hopes of meeting with a more favourable84 occasion; being, in the meantime, ambitious of displaying in a higher sphere, those qualifications which his vanity told him were at present misapplied.
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approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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concurrence
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| n.同意；并发 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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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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solicited
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| v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求 | |
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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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frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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virulent
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| adj.有毒的，有恶意的，充满敌意的 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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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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relished
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| v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 | |
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instigated
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| v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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malevolence
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| n.恶意，狠毒 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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solicitation
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| n.诱惑；揽货；恳切地要求；游说 | |
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wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prudently
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| adv. 谨慎地，慎重地 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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superseded
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| [医]被代替的，废弃的 | |
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pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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adherents
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| n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙 | |
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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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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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steadfastly
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| adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝 | |
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berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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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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conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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presumption
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| n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定 | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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debauch
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| v.使堕落，放纵 | |
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imputed
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| v.把（错误等）归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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conceited
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| adj.自负的，骄傲自满的 | |
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mortifying
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| 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） | |
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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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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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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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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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giggle
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| n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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rotation
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| n.旋转；循环，轮流 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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prerogative
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| n.特权 | |
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loquacity
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| n.多话，饶舌 | |
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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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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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veneration
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| n.尊敬，崇拜 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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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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decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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alteration
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| n.变更，改变；蚀变 | |
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disdained
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| 鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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soliciting
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| v.恳求( solicit的现在分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求 | |
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lieutenancy
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| n.中尉之职，代理官员 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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