_Peter prepares for his father's reception--Arguments about his
beard--Expects his wife--Reflections on her not coming--Sees a messenger
on the rock--Has notice of Pendlehambys arrival, and prepares a treat._
THE news my late visitors had brought me set my mind quite at ease; and
now having leisure to look into my own affairs, with the summer before
me, I began to consider what preparations I must make against the return
of my wife; for, according to the report I had heard, I concluded there
would be a great number of attendants; and as her father would no doubt
pique himself upon the grandeur of his equipage, if his followers should
see nothing in me but a plain dirty fellow, I should be contemned, and
perhaps my wife, through my means, be slighted, or at least lose that
respect the report of me had in a great measure procured her.
The first thing therefore that I did, was to look into my chests again,
wherein I knew there were many of the Portuguese captain's clothes, and
take out such as would be most suitable to the occasion, and lay them
all by themselves. I found a blue cloth laced coat, double-breasted,
with very large gold buttons, and very broad gold button-holes, lined
with white silk; a pair of black velvet breeches, a large gold-laced
hat, and a point neckcloth with two or three very good shirts, two
pair of red-heeled shoes, a pair of white and another of scarlet silk
stockings, two silver-hilted swords, and several other good things; but
upon examination of these clothes, and by a letter or two I found in
the pockets of some of them, directed to Captain Jeremiah Vauclaile,
in Thread-needle Street, London, I judged these belonged to the English
captain, taken by the Portuguese ship in Africa. I immediately tried
some of them on, and thought they became me very well, and laid all
those in particular chests, to be ready when the time came, and set them
into one of my inner rooms.
Upon examining the contents of another chest, I found a long scarlet
cloak laced, a case of razors, a pair of scissors, and shaving-glass, a
long-wig and two bob-wigs, and laid them by; for I was determined, as
I might possibly have no other opportunity, to make myself appear as
considerable as I could.
When I had digested in my mind upon what occasions I would appear in
either of them, and laid them in proper order, Pedro and I went several
days to work with the net, and caught abundance of fish, which I salted
and dried; and we cut a great quantity of long grass to dry, and spread
in my tent for the lower gentry, and made up a little cock of it; we
also cut and piled up a large parcel of firewood; and as I had now about
thirty of the best fish-skins, each of which would cover four chairs, I
nailed them on for cushions to my chairs, and the rest I sewed together,
and made rugs of them.
I had observed that my brother Quangrollart, and Rosig, neither of them
had beards, and as they were quite smooth-chinned, I conjectured that
none of their countrymen had any: So, says I, if that is the case, as I
have now both scissors and razors, I will e'en cut off mine, to be like
them. I then set up my glass, taking my scissors in hand; but had not
quite closed them for a snip, when I considered that as I was not of
their country, and was so different from them in other respects, whether
it would not add to my dignity to appear with my beard before them. This
I debated some time, and then determined in favour of my beard; but as
this question still ran in my mind, and I wavered sometimes this way,
sometimes that, I some days after prepared again for execution, and took
a large slip off; when, says I, how can I tell whether I can shave after
all? I have not tried yet, and if I can't, how much more ridiculous
shall I look with stubbed hair here and there, than with this comely
beard? I must say, I never in my life had so long a debate with myself,
it holding upwards of two months, varying almost every time I thought of
it; till one day, dressing myself in a suit I had not before tried on,
and looking in the glass: It can never be, says I, that this grave
beard should suit with these fine clothes; no, I will have it off, I
am resolved. I had no sooner given another good snip, than spying the
cloak, I had a mind to see how I looked in that. Aye, says I, now I see
I must either wear this beard or not this cloak. How majestic does it
look! So sage, so grave, it denotes wisdom and solidity; and if they
already think well of me, don't let me be fool enough to relinquish my
claim to that for a gay coat. I had no sooner fixed on this, than I took
up all the implements to put again into the chest; and the last of them
being the glass, I would have one more look before I parted with it; but
my beard made such a horrid, frightful figure, with the three great cuts
in it, that though it grieved me to think I must part with it just
when I had come to a resolution to preserve it, I fell to work with my
scissors, and off it came; and after two or three trials I became very
expert with my razor.
Winter coming on, as I knew I must soon have more occasion than ever for
a stock of provision, from the increase of mouths I expected, I laid in
a stock for a little army; and when the hurry of that was over, I kept
a sharp look-out upon the level, in expectation of my company, and had
once a mind to have brought my tent thither to entertain them in; but
it was too much trouble for the hands I had, so I dropped the design. I
took one or other of the children with me every day, and grew more and
more uneasy at hearing nothing of them; and as uncertain attendance
naturally breeds thoughtfulness, and the hours in no employ pass so
leisurely as in that, my mind presaged numberless intervening accidents
that might, if not entirely prevent their coming, at least postpone it.
Thinks I (and that I fixed for my standard), Youwarkee, I am sure, would
come if she could; but then, says I, here is a long flight, and to be
undertaken by an old man too (for I thought my father-in-law much older
than I afterwards found him), who is now quiet and safe at home; and
having his daughter with him, is no doubt desirous of continuing so:
now, what cares he for my uneasiness? He can find one pretence or other,
no doubt, of drilling on the time till the dark weather is over; and
then, forsooth, it will be too late to come; and thus shall I be hung
up in suspense for another year. Or what if my brother, as he called
himself, for he may be no more a brother of mine than the Pope's, for
ought I know, came only on a pretence to see how I went on; and not
finding, for all his sham compliments to me, his sister married to his
father's liking, should advise him not to send my wife back again;
and so all the trouble I have had on their account should only prove a
standing monument of my foolish credulity! Nay, it is not impossible,
but as I have already had one message to inform me Tommy and Hallycarnie
are provided for, as much as to say in plain English I shall see them no
more, so I may soon have another by some sneaking puppy or other, whom
I suppose I am to treat for the news, to tell me my wife and Patty are
provided for too, and I am to thank my kind benefactors for taking so
great a charge off my hands. Am I? No! I'll first set my tent, clothes,
chairs, and all other mementoes of my stupidity on fire, and by
perishing, what's left of us, in the blaze, exterminate at once the
wretched remains of a deserted family. I hate to be made a fool of!
I had scarce finished my soliloquy, when I heard a monstrous sort of
groan or growl in the air, like thunder at a distance. "What's that,
Pedro?" says I.--"I never heard the like before, daddy!" says he.--"Look
about, boy," says I, "do you see anything?"--We heard it again. "Hark!"
says Pedro, "it comes from that end of the lake."--While we were
listening to the third sound, says Pedro, "Daddy, yonder is something
black upon the rock, I did not see just now."--"Why, it moves," says I,
"Pedro; here is news, good or bad."--"Hope the best, daddy," says Pedro;
"I wish it may be mammy."--"No," says I, "Pedro, I don't expect her
before I hear from her."--"Why, then," says Pedro, "here they come; I
can plainly discern three of them. If my brother Tommy should be there,
daddy!"--"No," says I, "Pedro, no such good news; they tell me Tommy's
provided for, and that's to suffice for the loss of my child: and yet,
Pedro, if I could get you settled in England in some good employ, I
should consent to that: but what Tommy's to be I know not."
By this time the three persons were so near that, seeing us, they called
out "Peter!" and I making signs for them to alight, they settled just
before me, and told me that Pendlehamby and Youwarkee would be with me
by light next day.
I had no sooner heard this, but so far was I from firing my tent, that
I invited them to my grotto, set the best cheer before them, and with
overhaste to do more than one thing at once, I even left undone what I
might have done.
I asked them who came with my father; and they told me about two hundred
guards: that knocked me up again, as I had but prepared for about sixty;
thinks I, My scheme is all untwisted. I then asked them what loud noise
it was, and if they heard it just before I saw them over the rock.
They told me they heard only the gripsack they brought with them to
distinguish them from ordinary messengers; and then one of them showed
it me, for I had before only taken it for a long staff in his hand:
"but," says he, "you will hear them much louder to-morrow, and longer,
before they come to you."
Having entertained them to their content, I sent them to rest, not
choosing to ask any questions; for I avoided anticipating the pleasure
of hearing all the news from Youwarkee herself. However, the boys and
I prepared what provisions of fowl and fish we could in the time, to be
ready cold against they came, and then laid down ourselves.
[Illustration: 5043]
[Illustration: 0044]