How he spent his time at the academy--An intrigue with a
servant-maid there--She declares herself with child by him--
Her expostulations to him--He is put to it for money--
Refused it from home by his friend, who had married his
mother--Is drawn in to marry the maid--She lies-in at her
aunts--Returns to her service--He has another child by her
I had now been passing my time for about three months in this melancholy
way, and, you may imagine, under that disadvantage, had made but little
progress in my learning, when one of our maids, taking notice one day
of my uneasiness, as I sat musing in my chamber, according to my custom,
began to rally me that I was certainly in love, I was so sad. Indeed I
never had a thought of love before, but the good-natured girl seeming to
pity me, and seriously asking me the cause, I fairly opened my heart to
her; and for fear my master should know it, gave her half-a-crown to be
silent. This last engagement fixed her my devotee, and from that time
we had frequent conferences in confidence together, till at length
inclination, framed by opportunity, produced the date of a world of
concern to me; for about six months after my arrival at the academy,
instead of proving my parts by my scholarship, I had proved my manhood
by being the destined father of an infant which my female correspondent
then assured me would soon be my own.
We nevertheless held on our frequent intercourse; nor was I so alarmed
at the news as I ought to have been, till about two months after, when
Patty (for that was the only name I then knew her by) explained herself
to me in the following terms:--"You know, Mr. Peter, how matters are
with me: I should be very sorry, for your sake, and my own too, to
reveal my shame, but in spite of us both nature will show itself; and
truly I think some care should be taken, and some method proposed, to
preserve the infant, and avoid, as far as may be, the inconveniences
that may attend us, for here is now no room for delay." This speech, I
own, gave me the first reflection I ever had in my life, and locked up
all my faculties for a long time; nor was I able, for the variety of
ideas that crowded my brain, to make a word of answer, but stood like an
image of stone, till Patty, seeing my confusion, desired me to recollect
my reason; for as it was too late to undo what had been done, it
remained now only to act with that prudence and caution which the nature
of the case required; and that, for her part, she would concur in every
reasonable measure I should approve of; but I must remember she was only
a servant, and had very little due to her for wages, and not a penny
besides that; and that there must necessarily be a preparation made for
the reception of the infant when time should produce it. I now began to
see the absolute necessity of all she said, but how to accomplish it was
not in me to comprehend. My own small matter of money was gone, and had
been so a long time; we therefore agreed I should write to my mother for
a fresh supply. I did so; and to my great confusion was answered by my
former friend in the following words:--
"Son Peter,--Your mother and I are much surprised you should
write for money, having so amply provided for you; but as it
is not many months to Christmas, when possibly we may send
for you home, you must make yourself easy till then; as a
school-boy, with all necessaries found him, cannot have much
occasion for money.--Your loving father,
J. G."
Imagine, if it is possible, my consternation at the receipt of this
letter. I began to think I should be tricked out of what my father and
grandfather had with so much pains and industry for many years been,
heaping up for me, and had a thousand thoughts all together jostling out
each other, so could resolve on nothing. I then showed Patty the letter,
and we both condoled my hard fortune, but saw no remedy. Time wore away,
and nothing done, or like to be, as I could see. For my part, I was like
one distracted, and no more able to assist or counsel what should be
done than a child in arms. At length poor Patty, who had sat thinking
some time, began with telling me she had formed a scheme which in some
measure might help us; but fearing it might be disagreeable to me, she
durst not mention it till I should assure her, whatever I thought of
that, I would think no worse of her for proposing it. This preparatory
introduction startled me a great deal; for it darted into my head she
waited for my concurrence to destroy the child, to which I could never
have consented. But upon my assuring her I would not think the worse of
her for whatever she should propose, but freely give her my opinion upon
it, she told me, as she could see no other way before us but what tended
to our disgrace and ruin, if I would marry her she would immediately
quit her place and return to her aunt, who had brought her up from a
child, and had enough prettily to live upon, who, she did not doubt,
would entertain her as my wife; but she was assured, upon any other
score, or under any other name, would prove her most inveterate
enemy. When Patty had made an end, I was glad to find it no worse; and
revolving matters a little in my mind, both as to affairs at home and
the requested marriage, I concluded upon this latter, and had a great
inclination to acquaint my mother of it, but was diverted from that, by
suspecting it might prove a good handle for my new father to work with
my mother some mischief against me; so determined to marry forthwith,
send Patty to her aunt's, and remain still at the academy myself till
I should see what turn things would take at home. Accordingly, the next
day good part of Patty's wages went to tie the connubial knot, and to
the honest parson for a bribe to antedate the certificate; and she very
soon after took up the rest to defray her journey to her aunt's.
Though Patty was within two months of her time, she had so managed that
no one perceived it; and getting safe to her aunt's, was delivered of
a daughter, of which she wrote me word, and said she hoped to see me at
the end of her month. How, thought I, can she expect to see me; money I
have none! and then I despaired of leave for a journey if I had it;
and to go without leave would only arm J. G. against me, as I perceived
plainly his interest and mine were very remote things; so I resolved to
quit all thoughts of a journey, and wait till opportunity better served
for seeing my wife and child, and our good aunt to whom we were so
much obliged. While these and such-like cogitations engrossed my whole
attention, I was most pleasingly surprised one day, upon my return-from
a musing walk by the river-side at the end of our garden, where I
frequently got my tasks, to find Patty sitting in the kitchen with my
old mistress, my master's mother, who managed his house, he having been
a widower many years. The sight of her almost overcame me, as I had
bolted into the kitchen, and was seen by my old mistress before I
had seen Patty was with her. The old lady, perceiving me discomposed,
inquired into the cause, which I directly imputed to the symptoms of an
ague that I told her I had felt upon me best part of the morning. She,
a good motherly woman, feeling my pulse, and satisfying herself of its
disorder, immediately ran to her closet to bring me a cordial, which she
assured me had done wonders in the like cases; so that I had but just
time to embrace Patty and inquire after our aunt and daughter before
madam returned with the cordial. Having drank it, and given thanks, I
was going to withdraw, but she would not part with me so; for nothing
less than my knowledge that this cordial was of her own making, from
whence she had the receipt, and an exact catalogue of the several cures
it had done, would serve her turn; which, taking up full three-quarters
of an hour, gave room to Patty and me to enjoy each other's glances for
that time, to our mutual satisfaction. At last the old prattlebox
having made a short pause to recover breath from the narrative of the
cordial, "Mr. Peter," says she, "you look as if you did not know poor
Patty; she has not left me so long that you should forget her; she is
a good tight wench, and I was sorry to part with her; but she is out of
place, she says, and as that dirty creature Nan is gone, I think to take
her again." I told her I well knew she was judge of a good servant, and
I did not doubt Patty was such, if she thought so; and then I made my
exit, lighter in heart by a pound than I came.
I shall not tire you any farther with the amours between self and Patty;
but to let you know she quitted her place again seven months after, upon
the same score.