They meet with a dreadful Alarm on the Road--Arrive at their Journey's
end--Peregrine is introduced to Emily's Brother--These two young
Gentlemen misunderstand each other--Pickle departs for the Garrison.
As they travelled at an easy rate, they had performed something more
than one half of their journey, when they were benighted near an inn,
at which they resolved to lodge; the accommodation was very good, they
supped together with great mirth and enjoyment, and it was not till
after he had been warned by the yawns of the ladies, that he conducted
them to their apartment; where, wishing them good night, he retired to
his own, and went to rest. The house was crowded with country-people who
had been at a neighbouring fair, and now regaled themselves with ale and
tobacco in the yard; so that their consideration, which at any time was
but slender, being now overwhelmed by this debauch, they staggered into
their respective kennels, and left a lighted candle sticking to one of
the wooden pillars that supported the gallery. The flame in a little
time laid hold on the wood, which was as dry as tinder; and the whole
gallery was on fire, when Peregrine suddenly waked, and found himself
almost suffocated. He sprang up in an instant, slipped on his breeches,
and, throwing open the door of his chamber, saw the whole entry in a
blaze.
Heavens! what were the emotions of his soul, when he beheld the volumes
of flame and smoke rolling towards the room where his dear Emilia lay!
Regardless of his own danger, he darted himself through the thickest
of the gloom, when knocking hard, and calling at the same time to the
ladies, with the most anxious entreaty to be admitted, the door was
opened by Emilia in her shift, who asked, with the utmost trepidation,
what was the matter? He made no reply, but snatching her up in his arms,
like another Aeneas, bore her through the flames to a place of safety;
where leaving her before she could recollect herself, or pronounce one
word, but “Alas; my Cousin Sophy!” he flew back to the rescue of that
young lady, and found her already delivered by Pipes, who having been
alarmed by the smell of fire, had got up, rushed immediately to the
chamber where he knew these companions lodged, and Emily being saved by
her lover brought off Miss Sophy with the loss of his own shock-head of
hair, which was singed off in his retreat.
By this time the whole inn was alarmed; every lodger, as well as
servant, exerted himself, in order to stop the progress of this
calamity: and there being a well-replenished horse-pond in the yard, in
less than an hour the fire was totally extinguished, without having done
any other damage than that of consuming about two yards of the wooden
gallery.
All this time our young gentleman closely attended his fair charge, each
of whom had swooned with apprehension; but as their constitutions were
good, and their spirits not easily dissipated, when upon reflection
they found themselves and their company safe, and that the flames were
happily quenched, the tumult of their fears subsided, they put on their
clothes, recovered their good humour, and began to rally each other on
the trim in which they had been secured. Sophy observed that now
Mr. Pickle had an indisputable claim to her cousin's affection; and
therefore she ought to lay aside all affected reserve for the future,
and frankly avow the sentiments of her heart. Emily retorted the
argument, putting her in mind, that by the same claim Mr. Pipes was
entitled to the like return from her. Her friend admitted the force
of the conclusion, provided she could not find means of satisfying his
deliverer in another shape; and, turning, to the valet, who happened to
be present, asked if his heart was not otherwise engaged. Tom, who did
not conceive the meaning of the question, stood silent according to
custom; and the interrogation being repeated, answered, with a grin,
“Heart-whole as a biscuit, I'll assure you, mistress.”--“What!” said
Emilia, “have you never been in love, Thomas?”--“Yes, forsooth,” replied
the valet without hesitation, “sometimes of a morning.”
Peregrine could not help laughing, and his mistress looked a little
disconcerted at this blunt repartee: while Sophy, slipping a purse
into his hand, told him there was something to purchase a periwig. Tom,
having consulted his master's eyes, refused the present, saying, “No,
thank ye as much as if I did;” and though she insisted upon his putting
it in his pocket, as a small testimony of her gratitude, he could not be
prevailed upon to avail himself of her generosity; but following her to
the other end of the room, thrust it into her sleeve without ceremony,
exclaiming, “I'll be d--d to hell if I do.” Peregrine, having checked
him for his boorish behaviour, sent him out of the room, and begged that
Miss Sophy would not endeavour to debauch the morals of his servant,
who, rough and uncultivated as he was, had sense enough to perceive that
he had no pretension to any such acknowledgment. But she argued, with
great vehemence, that she should never be able to make acknowledgment
adequate to the service he had done her, and that she should never
be perfectly easy in her own mind until she found some opportunity of
manifesting the sense she had of the obligation: “I do not pretend,”
said she, “to reward Mr. Pipes; but I shall be absolutely unhappy,
unless I am allowed to give him some token of my regard.”
Peregrine, thus earnestly solicited, desired, that since she was bent
upon displaying her generosity, she would not bestow upon him any
pecuniary gratification, but honour him with some trinket, as a mark of
consideration; because he himself had such a particular value for the
fellow, on account of his attachment and fidelity, that he should be
sorry to see him treated on the footing of a common mercenary domestic.
There was not one jewel in the possession of this grateful young lady,
that she would not have gladly given as a recompense, or badge of
distinction, to her rescuer; but his master pitched upon a seal ring of
no great value that hung at her watch, and Pipes, being called in, had
permission to accept that testimony of Miss Sophy's favour. Tom received
it accordingly with sundry scrapes; and, having kissed it with great
devotion, put it on his little finger, and strutted off, extremely proud
of his acquisition.
Emilia, with a most enchanting sweetness of aspect, told her lover that
he had instructed her how to behave towards him; and taking a diamond
ring from her finger, desired he would wear it for her sake. He received
the pledge as became him, and presented another in exchange, which
she at first refused, alleging that it would destroy the intent of her
acknowledgment; but Peregrine assured her he had accepted her jewel, not
as a proof of her gratitude, but as the mark of her love; and that if
she refused a mutual token, he should look upon himself as the object of
her disdain. Her eyes kindled, and her cheeks glowed with resentment
at this impudent intimation, which she considered as an unseasonable
insult, and the young gentleman, perceiving her emotion, stood corrected
for his temerity, and asked pardon for the liberty of his remonstrance,
which he hoped she would ascribe to the prevalence of that principle
alone, which he had always taken pride in avowing.
Sophy, seeing him disconcerted, interposed in his behalf, and chid her
cousin for having practised such unnecessary affectation; upon which,
Emilia, softened into compliance, held out her finger as a signal of
her condescension. Peregrine put on the ring with great eagerness, and
mumbled her soft white hand in an ecstasy which would not allow him to
confine his embraces to that limb, but urged him to seize her by the
waist, and snatch a delicious kiss from her love-pouting lips; nor
would he leave her a butt to the ridicule of Sophy, on whose mouth he
instantly committed a rape of the same nature: so that the two friends,
countenanced by each other, reprehended him with such gentleness of
rebuke, that he was almost tempted to repeat the offence.
The morning being now lighted up, and the servants of the inn on foot,
he ordered some chocolate for breakfast, and at the desire of the
ladies, sent Pipes to see the horses fed, and the chariot prepared,
while he went to the bar, and discharged the bill.
These measures being taken, they set out about five o'clock, and having
refreshed themselves and their cattle at another inn on the road,
proceeded in the afternoon. Without meeting with any other accident,
they safely arrived at the place of their destination, where Mrs.
Gauntlet expressed her joy at seeing her old friend Mr. Pickle, whom,
however, she kindly reproached for the long discontinuance of his
regard. Without explaining the cause of that interruption, he protested
that his love and esteem had never been discontinued, and that for the
future he should omit no occasion of testifying how much he had her
friendship at heart. She then made him acquainted with her son, who at
that time was in the house, being excused from his duty by furlough.
This young man, whose name was Godfrey, was about the age of twenty, of
a middling size, vigorous make, remarkably well-shaped, and the scars
of the small-pox, of which he bore a good number, added a peculiar
manliness to the air of his countenance. His capacity was good, and his
disposition naturally frank and easy; but he had been a soldier from
his infancy, and his education was altogether in the military style.
He looked upon taste and letters as mere pedantry, beneath the
consideration of a gentleman, and every civil station of life as mean,
when compared with the profession of arms. He had made great progress in
the gymnastic sciences of dancing, fencing, and riding; played perfectly
well on the German flute; and, above all things valued himself upon a
scrupulous observance of all the points of honour.
Had Peregrine and he considered themselves upon equal footing, in
all probability they would have immediately entered into a league of
intimacy and friendship: but this sufficient soldier looked upon his
sister's admirer as a young student raw from the university, and utterly
ignorant of mankind; while Squire Pickle beheld Godfrey in the light of
a needy volunteer, greatly inferior to himself in fortune, as well as
every other accomplishment. This mutual misunderstanding could not fail
of animosities. The very next day after Peregrine's arrival, some sharp
repartees passed between them in presence of the ladies, before whom
each endeavoured to assert his own superiority. In these contests our
hero never failed of obtaining the victory, because his genius was more
acute, and his talents better cultivated, than those of his antagonist,
who therefore took umbrage at his success, became jealous of his
reputation, and began to treat him with marks of scorn and disrespect.
His sister saw, and, dreading the consequence of his ferocity, not
only took him to task in private for his impolite behaviour, but
also entreated her lover to make allowances for the roughness of her
brother's education. He kindly assured her, that whatever pains it might
cost him to vanquish his own impetuous temper, he would, for her sake,
endure all the mortifications to which her brother's arrogance might
expose him; and, after having stayed with her two days, and enjoyed
several private interviews, during which he acted the part of a most
passionate lover, he took his leave of Mrs. Gauntlet overnight, and told
the young ladies he would call early next morning to bid them farewell.
He did not neglect this piece of duty, and found the two friends and
breakfast already prepared in the parlour. All three being extremely
affected with the thoughts of parting, a most pathetic silence for some
time prevailed, till Peregrine put an end to it by lamenting his fate,
in being obliged to exile himself so long from the dear object of his
most interesting wish. He begged, with the most earnest supplications,
that she would now, in consideration of the cruel absence he must
suffer, give him the consolation which she had hitherto refused; namely,
that of knowing he possessed a place within her heart. The confidante
seconded his request, representing that it was now no time to disguise
her sentiments, when her lover was about to leave the kingdom, and might
be in danger of contracting other connections, unless he was confirmed
in his constancy, by knowing how far he could depend upon her love; and,
in short, she was plied with such irresistible importunities, that
she answered in the utmost confusion, “Though I have avoided literal
acknowledgments, methinks the circumstances of my behaviour might
have convinced Mr. Pickle that I do not regard him as a common
acquaintance.”--“My charming Emily,” cried the impatient lover, throwing
himself at her feet, “why will you deal out my happiness in such scanty
portions? Why will you thus mince the declaration which would overwhelm
me with pleasure, and cheer my lonely reflection, while I sigh amid
the solitude of separation?” His fair mistress, melted by this image,
replied, with the tears gushing from her eyes, “I'm afraid I shall feel
that separation more severely than you imagine.” Transported at this
flattering confession, he pressed her to his breast, and while her head
reclined upon his neck, mingled his tears with hers in great abundance,
breathing the most tender vows of eternal fidelity. The gentle heart
of Sophy could not bear this scene unmoved: she wept with sympathy,
and encouraged the lovers to resign themselves to the will of fate, and
support their spirits with the hope of meeting again on happier terms.
Finally, after mutual promises, exhortations, and endearments, Peregrine
took his leave, his heart being so full that he could scarce pronounce
the word Adieu! and, mounting his horse at the door, set out with Pipes
for the garrison.