He inquires into the Situation of this young Lady, with whom he is
enamoured--Elopes from School--Is found by the Lieutenant, conveyed to
Winchester, and sends a Letter with a copy of verses to his Mistress.
He was transported with pleasure at this invitation, which he assured
her he should not neglect; and after a little more conversation on
general topics, took his leave of the charming Emilia and her prudent
mamma, who had perceived the first emotions of Mr. Pickle's passion for
her daughter, and been at some pains to inquire about his family and
fortune.
Neither was Peregrine less inquisitive about the situation and pedigree
of his new mistress, who, he learned, was the only daughter of a
field-officer, who died before he had it in his power to make suitable
provision for his children; that the widow lived in a frugal though
decent manner on her pension, assisted by the bounty of her relations;
that the son carried arms as a volunteer in the company which his father
had commanded; and that Emilia had been educated in London, at the
expense of a rich uncle, who was seized with the whim of marrying at the
age of fifty-five; in consequence of which his niece had returned to her
mother, without any visible dependence, except on her own conduct and
qualifications.
This account, though it could not diminish his affection, nevertheless
alarmed his pride; for his warm imagination had exaggerated all his own
prospects; and he began to fear that his passion for Emilia might be
thought to derogate from the dignity of his situation. The struggle
between his interest and love produced a perplexity which had an evident
effect upon his behaviour: he became pensive, solitary, and peevish;
avoided public diversions; and grew so remarkably negligent in his
dress, that he was scarce distinguishable by his own acquaintance. This
contention of thoughts continued several weeks, at the end of which
the charms of Emilia triumphed over every other consideration. Having
received a supply of money from the commodore, who acted towards him
with great generosity, he ordered Pipes to put up some linen and other
necessaries in a sort of knapsack, which he could conveniently carry;
and, thus attended, set out early one morning on foot for the village
where his charmer lived, at which he arrived before two o'clock in the
afternoon; having chosen this method of travelling that his route might
not be so easily discovered, as it must have been had he hired horses,
or taken a place in the stage-coach.
The first thing he did was to secure a convenient lodging at the inn
where he dined; then he shifted himself, and, according to the direction
he had received, went to the house of Mrs. Gauntlet in a transport of
joyous expectation. As he approached the gate, his agitation increased;
he knocked with impatience and concern, the door opened, and he had
actually asked if Mrs. Gauntlet was at home, before he perceived that
the portress was no other than his dear Emilia. She was not without
emotion at the unexpected sight of her lover, who instantly recognising
his charmer obeyed the irresistible impulse of his love, and caught the
fair creature in his arms. Nor did she seem offended at this forwardness
of behaviour, which might have displeased another of a less open
disposition, or less used to the freedom of a sensible education; but
her natural frankness had been encouraged and improved by the easy and
familiar intercourse in which she had been bred; and therefore, instead
of reprimanding him with a severity of look, she with great good humour
rallied him upon his assurance, which, she observed, was undoubtedly
the effect of his own conscious merit; and conducted him into a parlour,
where he found her mother, who, in very polite terms, expressed her
satisfaction at seeing him within her house.
After tea, Miss Emy proposed an evening walk, which they enjoyed through
a variety of little copses and lawns, watered by a most romantic stream,
that quite enchanted the imagination of Peregrine.
It was late before they returned from this agreeable excursion, and when
our lover wished the ladies good night, Mrs. Gauntlet insisted upon his
staying to supper, and treated him with particular demonstrations
of regard and affection. As her economy was not encumbered with an
unnecessary number of domestics, her own presence was often required in
different parts of the house, so that the young gentleman was supplied
with frequent opportunities of promoting his suit by all the tender
oaths and insinuations that his passion could suggest. He protested her
idea had taken such entire possession of his heart, that finding
himself unable to support her absence one day longer, he had quitted
his studies, and left his governor by stealth, that he might visit the
object of his adoration, and be blessed in her company for a few days
without interruption.
She listened to his addresses with such affability as denoted
approbation and delight, and gently chided him as a thoughtless truant,
but carefully avoided the confession of a mutual flame; because she
discerned, in the midst of all his tenderness, a levity of pride which
she durst not venture to trust with such a declaration. Perhaps she
was confirmed in this caution by her mother, who very wisely, in her
civilities to him, maintained a sort of ceremonious distance, which she
thought not only requisite for the honour and interest of her family,
but likewise for her own exculpation, should she ever be taxed with
having encouraged or abetted him in the imprudent sallies of his youth;
yet, notwithstanding this affected reserve, he was treated with such
distinction by both, that he was ravished with his situation, and became
more and more enamoured every day.
While he remained under the influence of this sweet intoxication,
his absence produced great disturbance at Winchester. Mr. Jolter was
grievously afflicted at his abrupt departure, which alarmed him the
more, as it happened after a long fit of melancholy which he had
perceived in his pupil. He communicated his apprehensions to the master
of the school, who advised him to apprise the commodore of his nephew's
disappearance, and in the mean time inquire at all the inns in
town, whether he had hired horses, or any sort of carriage, for his
conveyance, or was met with on the road by any person who could give an
account of the direction in which he travelled.
The scrutiny, though performed with great diligence and minuteness,
was altogether ineffectual; they could obtain no intelligence of the
runaway. Mr. Trunnion was well distracted at the news of his flight; he
raved with great fury at the imprudence of Peregrine, whom in his first
transports he d--d as an ungrateful deserter; then he cursed Hatchway
and Pipes, who he swore had foundered the lad by their pernicious
counsels; and, lastly, transferred his execrations upon Jolter, because
he had not kept a better look-out; finally, he made an apostrophe to
that son of a b-- the gout, which for the present disabled him from
searching for his nephew in person. That he might not, however, neglect
any means in his power, he immediately despatched expresses to all the
sea-port towns on that coast, that he might be prevented from leaving
the kingdom; and the lieutenant, at his own desire, was sent across the
country, in quest of this young fugitive.
Four days had he unsuccessfully carried on his inquiries with great
accuracy, when, resolving to return by Winchester, where he hoped to
meet with some hints of intelligence by which he might profit in his
future search, he struck off the common road to take the benefit of a
nearer cut; and finding himself benighted near a village, took up
his lodgings at the first inn to which his horse directed him. Having
bespoke something for supper, and retired to his chamber, where he
amused himself with a pipe, he heard a confused noise of rustic jollity,
which being all of a sudden interrupted, after a short pause his ear
was saluted with the voice of Pipes, who, at the solicitation of the
company, began to entertain them with a song.
Hatchway instantly recognised the well-known sound, in which, indeed,
he could not possibly be mistaken, as nothing in nature bore the least
resemblance to it; he threw his pipe into the chimney, and, snatching
up one of his pistols, ran immediately to the apartment from whence
the voice issued; he no sooner entered, than, distinguishing his old
ship-mate in a crowd of country peasants, he in a moment sprang upon
him, and, clapping his pistol to his breast, exclaimed, “ D--n you,
Pipes, you are a dead man, if you don't immediately produce young
master.”
This menacing application had a much greater effect upon the company
than upon Tom, who, looking at the lieutenant with great tranquility,
replied, “Why so I can, Master Hatchway.”--“What! safe and sound?” cried
the other. “As a roach,” answered Pipes, so much to the satisfaction
of his friend Jack, that he shook him by the hand, and desired him
to proceed with his song. This being performed and the reckoning
discharged, the two friends adjourned to the other room, where the
lieutenant was informed of the manner in which the young gentleman had
made his elopement from college, as well as of the other particulars of
his present situation, as far as they had fallen within the sphere of
his comprehension.
While they sat thus conferring together, Peregrine, having taken
leave of his mistress for the night, came home, and was not a little
surprised, when Hatchway, entering his chamber in his sea attitude,
thrust out his hand by way of salutation. His old pupil received him as
usual, with great cordiality, and expressed his astonishment at meeting
him in that place; but when he understood the cause and intention of
his arrival, he started with concern; and, his visage glowing with
indignation, told him he was old enough to be judge of his own conduct,
and, when he should see it convenient, would return of himself; but
those who thought he was to be compelled to his duty, would find
themselves egregiously mistaken.
The lieutenant assured him, that for his own part he had no intention to
offer him the least violence; but, at the same time, he represented
to him the danger of incensing the commodore, who was already almost
distracted on account of his absence: and, in short, conveyed his
arguments, which were equally obvious and valid, in such expressions of
friendship and respect, that Peregrine yielded to his remonstrances, and
promised to accompany him next day to Winchester.
Hatchway, overjoyed at the success of his negotiation, went immediately
to the hostler and bespoke a post-chaise for Mr. Pickle and his man with
whom he afterwards indulged himself in a double can of rumbo, and, when
the night was pretty far advanced, left the lover to his repose, or
rather to the thorns of his own meditation; for he slept not one moment,
being incessantly tortured with the prospect of parting with his divine
Emilia, who had now acquired the most absolute empire over his soul. One
minute he proposed to depart early in the morning, without seeing this
enchantress, in whose bewitching presence he durst not trust his own
resolution; then the thoughts of leaving her in such an abrupt and
disrespectful manner interposed in favour of his love and honour. This
war of sentiments kept him all night upon the rack, and it was time to
rise before he had determined to visit his charmer, and candidly impart
the motives that induced him to leave her.
He accordingly repaired to her mother's house with a heavy heart, being
attended to the gate by Hatchway, who did not choose to leave him alone;
and being admitted, found Emilia just risen, and, in his opinion, more
beautiful than ever.
Alarmed at his early visit, and the gloom that overspread his
countenance, she stood in silent expectation of hearing some melancholy
tidings; and it was not till after a considerable pause, that he
collected resolution enough to tell her he was come to take his
leave. Though she strove to conceal her sorrow, nature was not to be
suppressed: every feature of her countenance saddened in a moment; and
it was not without the utmost difficulty that she kept her lovely eyes
from overflowing. He saw the situation of her thoughts, and, in order to
alleviate her concern, assured her he should find means to see her
again in a very few weeks: meanwhile he communicated his reasons for
departing, in which she readily acquiesced; and having mutually consoled
each other, their transports of grief subsided: and before Mrs. Gauntlet
came downstairs, they were in a condition to behave with great decency
and resignation.
This good lady expressed her concern when she learned his resolution,
saying, she hoped his occasions and inclinations would permit him to
favour them with his agreeable company another time.
The lieutenant, who began to be uneasy at Peregrine's stay, knocked
at the door, and, being introduced by his friend, had the honour of
breakfasting with the ladies; on which occasion his heart received such
a rude shock from the charms of Emilia, that he afterwards made a merit
with his friend of having constrained himself so far, as to forbear
commencing his professed rival.
At length they bade adieu to their kind entertainers; and in less
than an hour setting out from the inn, arrived about two o'clock
in Winchester, where Mr. Jolter was overwhelmed with joy at their
appearance.
The nature of this adventure being unknown to all except those who could
be depended upon, everybody who inquired about the cause of Peregrine's
absence, was told that he had been with a relation in the country, and
the master condescended to overlook his indiscretion; so that Hatchway,
seeing everything settled to the satisfaction of his friend, returned to
the garrison, and gave the commodore an account of his expedition.
The old gentleman was very much startled when he heard there was a lady
in the case, and very emphatically observed, that a man had better be
sucked into the gulf of Florida than once get into the indraught of a
woman; because, in one case, he may with good pilotage bring out his
vessel safe between the Bahamas and the Indian shore; but in the other
there is no outlet at all, and it is in vain to strive against the
current; so that of course he must be embayed, and run chuck upon a
lee-shore. He resolved, therefore, to lay the state of the case before
Gamaliel Pickle, and concert such measures with him as should be thought
likeliest to detach his son from the pursuit of an idle amour, which
could not fail of interfering in a dangerous manner with the plan of his
education.
In the mean time, Perry's ideas were totally engrossed by his amiable
mistress, who, whether he slept or waked, was still present in his
imagination, which produced the following stanzas in her praise:--
Adieu! ye streams that smoothly flow;
Ye vernal airs that softly blow;
Ye plains, by blooming spring arrayed;
Ye birds that warble through the shade.
Unhurt from you my soul could fly,
Nor drop one tear, nor heave one sigh;
But forced from Celia's charms to part,
All joy deserts my drooping heart.
O' fairer than the rosy morn,
When flowers the dewy fields adorn;
Unsallied as the genial ray,
That warms the balmy breeze of May;
Thy charms divinely bright appear,
And add new splendour to the year;
Improve the day with fresh delight,
And gild with joy the dreary night.
This juvenile production was enclosed in a very tender billet to Emilia,
and committed to the charge of Pipes, who was ordered to set out for
Mrs. Gauntlet's habitation with a present of venison, and a compliment
to the ladies; and directed to take some opportunity of delivering the
letter to miss, without the knowledge of her mamma.