He performs the last Offices to his Father, and returns to London, upon a very interesting Design.
Suits of mourning being provided for himself, his friends and adherents1, and every other previous measure taken suitable to the occasion, his father was interred2, in a private manner, in the parish church; and his papers being examined, in presence of many persons of honour and integrity, invited for that purpose, no will was found, or any other deed, in favour of the second son, though it appeared by the marriage settlement, that the widow was entitled to a jointure of five hundred pounds a year. The rest of his papers consisted of East India bonds, South Sea annuities3, mortgages, notes, and assignments, to the amount of four score thousand seven hundred and sixty pounds, exclusive of the house, plate and furniture, horses, equipage, and cattle, with the garden and park adjacent, to a very considerable extent.
This was a sum that even exceeded his expectation, and could not fail to entertain his fancy with the most agreeable ideas. He found himself immediately a man of vast consequence among his country neighbours, who visited him with compliments of congratulation, and treated him with such respect as would have effectually spoiled any young man of his disposition4, who had not the same advantages of experience as he had already purchased at a very extravagant5 price. Thus shielded with caution, he bore his prosperity with surprising temperance; everybody was charmed with his affability and moderation. When he made a circuit round the gentlemen of the district, in order to repay the courtesy which he owed, he was caressed6 by them with uncommon7 assiduity, and advised to offer himself as a candidate for the county at the next election, which, they supposed, would soon happen, because the present member was in a declining state of health. Nor did his person and address escape unheeded by the ladies, many of whom did not scruple8 to spread their attractions before him, with a view of captivating such a valuable prize: nay9, such an impression did this legacy10 make upon a certain peer, who resided in this part of the country, that he cultivated Pickle11’s acquaintance with great eagerness, and, without circumlocution12, offered to him in marriage his only daughter, with a very considerable fortune.
Our hero expressed himself upon this occasion as became a man of honour, sensibility, and politeness, and frankly13 gave his lordship to understand, that his heart was already engaged. He was pleased with the opportunity of making such a sacrifice of his passion for Emilia, which, by this time, inflamed14 his thoughts to such a degree of impatience15, that he resolved to depart for London with all possible speed; and for that purpose industriously16 employed almost every hour of his time in regulating his domestic affairs. He paid off all his father’s servants, and hired others, at the recommendation of his sister, who promised to superintend his household in his absence. He advanced the first half-yearly payment of his mother’s jointure; and as for his brother Gam, he gave him divers17 opportunities of acknowledging his faults, so that he might have answered to his own conscience for taking any step in his favour; but that young gentleman was not yet sufficiently18 humbled19 by misfortune, and not only forbore to make any overtures20 of peace, but also took all occasions to slander21 the conduct and revile22 the person of our hero, being in this practice comforted and abetted23 by his righteous mamma.
Everything being thus settled for the present, the triumvirate set out on their return to town in the same manner with that in which they had arrived in the country, except in this small variation, that Hatchway’s chaise-companion was now the valet-de-chambre refitted, instead of Pipes, who, with another lacquey, attended them on horseback. When they had performed two-thirds of their way to London, they chanced to overtake a country squire24, on his return from a visit to one of his neighbours, who had entertained him with such hospitality, that, as the lieutenant25 observed, he rolled himself almost gunwale to every motion of his horse, which was a fine hunter; and when the chaise passed him at full speed, he set up the sportsman’s halloo, in a voice that sounded like a French horn, clapping spurs to Sorrel at the same time, in order to keep up with the pace of the machine.
Peregrine, who was animated26 with an uncommon flow of spirits, ordered his postilion to proceed more softly; and entered into conversation with the stranger, touching27 the make and mettle28 of his horse, upon which he descanted with so much learning, that the squire was astonished at his knowledge. When they approached his habitation, he invited the young gentleman and his company to halt, and drink a bottle of his ale; and was so pressing in his solicitation29, that they complied with his request. He accordingly conducted them through a spacious30 avenue, that extended as far as the highway, to the gate of a large chateau31, of a most noble and venerable appearance, which induced them to alight and view the apartments, contrary to their first intention of drinking a glass of his October at the door.
The rooms were every way suitable to the magnificence of the outside, and our hero imagined they had made a tour through the whole sweep, when the landlord gave him to understand that they had not yet seen the best apartment of the house, and immediately led them into a spacious dining-room, which Peregrine did not enter without giving manifest signs of uncommon astonishment32. The panels all round were covered with portraits at full length, by Vandyke; and not one of them appeared without a ridiculous tie-periwig, in the style of those that usually hang over the shops of twopenny barbers. The straight boots in which the figures had been originally painted, and the other circumstances of attitude and drapery, so inconsistent with this monstrous33 furniture of the head, exhibited such a ludicrous appearance, that Pickle’s wonder, in a little time, gave way to his mirth, and he was seized with a violent fit of laughter, which had well-nigh deprived him of his breath.
The squire, half-pleased and half-offended at this expression of ridicule34, “I know,” said he, “what makes you laugh so woefully; you think it strange to zee my vorefathers booted and spurred, with huge three-tailed periwigs on their pates35. The truth of the matter is this: I could not abide36 to zee the pictures of my vamily with a parcel of loose hair hanging about their eyes, like zo many colts; and zo I employed a painter vellow from Lundon to clap decent periwigs upon their skulls37, at the rate of vive shillings a head, and offered him three shillings a piece to furnish each with a handsome pair of shoes and stockings: but the rascal38, thinking I must have ’em done at any price after their heads were covered, haggled39 with me for vour shillings a picture; and zo, rather than be imposed upon, I turned him off, and shall let ’em stand as they are, till zome more reasonable brother of the brush comes round the country.”
Pickle commended his resolution, though in his heart, he blessed himself from such a barbarous Goth; and, after they had despatched two or three bottles of his beer, they proceeded on their journey, and arrived in town about eleven at night.
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1
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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interred
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| v.埋，葬( inter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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annuities
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| n.养老金；年金( annuity的名词复数 )；（每年的）养老金；年金保险；年金保险投资 | |
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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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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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caressed
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| 爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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scruple
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| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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legacy
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| n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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circumlocution
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| n. 绕圈子的话，迂回累赘的陈述 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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inflamed
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| 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 ) | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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industriously
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divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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humbled
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| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
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overtures
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| n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲 | |
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slander
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| n./v.诽谤，污蔑 | |
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revile
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| v.辱骂，谩骂 | |
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23
abetted
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| v.教唆（犯罪）( abet的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；怂恿；支持 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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25
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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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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mettle
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| n.勇气，精神 | |
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29
solicitation
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| n.诱惑；揽货；恳切地要求；游说 | |
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spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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32
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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pates
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| n.头顶，（尤指）秃顶，光顶( pate的名词复数 ) | |
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36
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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skulls
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| 颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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haggled
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| v.讨价还价( haggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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