He attends his Uncle with great Affection during a Fit of Illness — Sets out again for London — Meets with his Friend Godfrey, who is prevailed upon to accompany him to Bath; on the Road to which Place they chance to Dine with a Person who entertains them with a curious Account of a certain Company of Adventurers.
Thus determined2, he took leave of Emilia and her mother, on pretence3 of going to London upon some urgent business, and returned to the garrison4, leaving the good old lady very much concerned, and the daughter incensed5 at his behaviour, which was the more unexpected, because Godfrey had told them that the commodore approved of his nephew’s passion.
Our adventurer found his uncle so ill of the gout, which, for the first time, had taken possession of his stomach, that his life was in imminent6 danger, and the whole family in disorder7. He therefore took the reins8 of government in his own hands, sent for all the physicians in the neighbourhood, and attended him in person with the most affectionate care, during the whole fit, which lasted a fortnight, and then retired9 before the strength of his constitution.
When the old gentleman recovered his health, he was so penetrated10 with Peregrine’s behaviour, that he actually would have made over to him his whole fortune, and depended upon him for his own subsistence, had not our youth opposed the execution of the deed with all his influence and might, and even persuaded him to make a will, in which his friend Hatchway, and all his other adherents11, were liberally remembered, and his aunt provided for on her own terms. This material point being settled, he, with his uncle’s permission, departed for London, after having seen the family affairs established under the direction and administration of Mr. Jolter and the lieutenant12; for, by this time, Mrs. Trunnion was wholly occupied with her spiritual concern.
On his first arrival at London, he sent a card to the lodgings13 of Gauntlet, in consequence of a direction from his mother; and that young gentleman waited on him next morning, though not with that alacrity14 of countenance15 and warmth of friendship which might have been expected from the intimacy16 of their former connection. Nor was Peregrine himself actuated by the same unreserved affection for the soldier which he had formerly17 entertained. Godfrey, over and above the offence he had taken at Pickle18’s omission19 in point of corresponding with him, had been informed, by a letter from his mother, of the youth’s cavalier behaviour to Emilia, during his last residence at Winchester; and our young gentleman, as we have already observed, was disgusted at the supposed discovery which the soldier had made in his absence to the commodore. They, perceived their mutual20 umbrage21 at meeting, and received each other with that civility of reserve which commonly happens between two persons whose friendship is in the wane22.
Gauntlet at once divined the cause of the other’s displeasure, and, in order to vindicate23 his own character, after the first compliments were passed, took the opportunity, on inquiring after the health of the commodore, to tell Peregrine, that, while he tarried at the garrison, on his return from Dover, the subject of the conversation, one night, happening to turn on our hero’s passion, the old gentleman had expressed his concern about that affair; and, among other observations, said, he supposed the object of his love was some paltry24 hussy, whom he had picked up when he was a boy at school. Upon which, Mr. Hatchway assured him, that she was a young woman of as good a family as any in the county; and, after having prepossessed him in her favour, ventured, out of the zeal25 of his friendship, to tell who she was. Wherefore, the discovery was not to be imputed26 to any other cause; and he hoped Mr. Pickle would acquit27 him of ail1 share in the transaction.
Peregrine was very well pleased to be thus undeceived; his countenance immediately cleared up, the formality of his behaviour relaxed into his usual familiarity; he asked pardon for his unmannerly neglect of Godfrey’s letter, which he protested, was not owing to any disregard, or abatement28 of friendship, but to a hurry of youthful engagements, in consequence of which he bad procrastinated29 his answer from time to time, until he was ready to return in person.
The young soldier was contented30 with this apology and, as Pickle’s intention, with respect to his sister, was still dubious31 and undeclared, he did not think it was incumbent32 upon him, as yet, to express any resentment33 on that score; but was wise enough to foresee, that the renewal34 of his intimacy with our young gentleman might be the means of reviving that flame which had been dissipated by a variety of new ideas. With those sentiments, he laid aside all reserve, and their communication resumed its former channel. Peregrine made him acquainted with all the adventures in which he had been engaged since their parting; and he, with the same confidence, related the remarkable35 incidents of his own fate; among other things, giving him to understand, that, upon obtaining a commission in the army, the father of his dear Sophy, without once inquiring about the occasion of his promotion36, had not only favoured him with his countenance in a much greater degree than heretofore, but also contributed his interest, and even promised the assistance of his purse, in procuring37 for him a lieutenancy38, which he was then soliciting39 with all his power; whereas, if he had not been enabled, by a most accidental piece of good fortune, to lift himself into the sphere of an officer, he had all the reason in the world to believe that this gentleman, and all the rest of his wealthy relations, would have suffered him to languish40 in obscurity and distress41; and by turning his misfortune into reproach, made it a plea for their want of generosity42 and friendship.
Peregrine, understanding the situation of his friend’s affairs, would have accommodated him upon the instant with a sum to accelerate the passage of his commission through the offices; but, being too well acquainted with his scrupulous43 disposition44, to manifest his benevolence45 in that manner, he found means to introduce himself to one of the gentlemen of the War Office, who was so well satisfied with the arguments used in behalf of his friend, that Godfrey’s business was transacted46 in a very few days, though he himself knew nothing of his interest being thus reinforced.
By this time, the season at Bath was begun; and our hero, panting with the desire of distinguishing himself at that resort of the fashionable world, communicated his design of going thither47 to his friend Godfrey, whom he importuned48 to accompany him in the excursion; and leave of absence from his regiment49 being obtained by the influence of Peregrine’s new quality friends, the two companions departed from London in a post-chaise, attended, as usual, by the valet-de-chambre and Pipes, who were become almost as necessary to our adventurer as any two of his own organs.
At the inn, when they alighted for dinner, Godfrey perceived a person walking by himself in the yard, with a very pensive50 air, and, upon observing him more narrowly, recognised him to be a professed51 gamester, whom he had formerly known at Tunbridge. On the strength of this acquaintance, he accosted52 the peripatetic53, who knew him immediately; and, in the fulness of his grief and vexation, told him, that he was now on his return from Bath, where he had been stripped by a company of sharpers, who resented that he should presume to trade upon his own bottom.
Peregrine, who was extremely curious in his inquiries54, imagining that he might learn some entertaining and useful anecdotes55 from this artist, invited him to dinner, and was accordingly fully56 informed of all the political systems at Bath. He understood that there was at London one great company of adventurers, who employed agents in all the different branches of imposition throughout the whole kingdom of England, allowing these ministers a certain proportion of the profits accruing57 from their industry and skill, and reserving the greatest share for the benefit of the common stock, which was chargeable with the expense of fitting out individuals in their various pursuits, as well as with the loss sustained in the course of their adventures. Some whose persons and qualifications are by the company judged adequate to the task, exert their talents in making love to ladies of fortune, being accommodated with money and accoutrements for that purpose, after having given their bonds payable58 to one or other of the directors, on the day of marriage, for certain sums, proportioned to the dowries they are to receive. Others versed59 in the doctrine60 of chances, and certain secret expediences, frequent all those places where games of hazard are allowed: and such as are masters in the arts of billiards61, tennis, and bowls, are continually lying in wait, in all the scenes of these diversions, for the ignorant and unwary. A fourth class attend horse-races, being skilled in those mysterious practices by which the knowing ones are taken in. Nor is this community unfurnished with those who lay wanton wives and old rich widows under contribution, and extort62 money, by prostituting themselves to the embraces of their own sex, and then threatening their admirers with prosecution63. But their most important returns are made by that body of their undertakers who exercise their understandings in the innumerable stratagems64 of the card table, at which no sharper can be too infamous65 to be received, and even caressed66 by persons of the highest rank and distinction. Among other articles of intelligence, our young gentleman learned, that those agents, by whom their guest was broke, and expelled from Bath. had constituted a bank against all sporters, and monopolized67 the advantage in all sorts of play. He then told Gauntlet, that, if he would put himself under his direction, he would return with them, and lay such a scheme as would infallibly ruin the whole society at billiards, as he knew that Godfrey excelled them all in his knowledge of that game.
The soldier excused himself from engaging in any party of that kind, and after dinner the travellers parted; but, as the conversation between the two friends turned upon the information they had received, Peregrine projected a plan for punishing those villainous pests of society, who prey68 upon their fellow-creatures; and it was put in execution by Gauntlet in the following manner.
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1
ail
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| v.生病，折磨，苦恼 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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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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incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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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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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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9
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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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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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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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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umbrage
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| n.不快；树荫 | |
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wane
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| n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦 | |
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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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paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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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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acquit
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| vt.宣判无罪；(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
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abatement
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| n.减(免)税，打折扣，冲销 | |
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procrastinated
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| 拖延，耽搁( procrastinate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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31
dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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renewal
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| adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来 | |
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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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promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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procuring
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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lieutenancy
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| n.中尉之职，代理官员 | |
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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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languish
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| vi.变得衰弱无力，失去活力，（植物等）凋萎 | |
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41
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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42
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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43
scrupulous
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| adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的 | |
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44
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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45
benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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46
transacted
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| v.办理（业务等）( transact的过去式和过去分词 )；交易，谈判 | |
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47
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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48
importuned
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| v.纠缠，向（某人）不断要求( importune的过去式和过去分词 )；（妓女）拉（客） | |
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49
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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50
pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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51
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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52
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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53
peripatetic
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| adj.漫游的，逍遥派的，巡回的 | |
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54
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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anecdotes
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| n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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56
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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57
accruing
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| v.增加( accrue的现在分词 )；（通过自然增长）产生；获得；（使钱款、债务）积累 | |
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58
payable
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| adj.可付的，应付的，有利益的 | |
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59
versed
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| adj. 精通，熟练 | |
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60
doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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61
billiards
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| n.台球 | |
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62
extort
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| v.勒索，敲诈，强要 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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64
stratagems
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| n.诡计，计谋( stratagem的名词复数 )；花招 | |
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65
infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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66
caressed
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| 爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
monopolized
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| v.垄断( monopolize的过去式和过去分词 )；独占；专卖；专营 | |
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68
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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