The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle

Chapter CVIII

Volume Four, Chapter CVIII 615 chapter cviii. These associates commit an assault upon Crabtree, for which they are banished from the Fleet. Peregrine begins to feel the effects of confinement. Our adventurer having dined at the ordinary, and in the afternoon retired to his own apartment, as usual, with his friend Cadwallader; Hatchway and his associate , after they had been obliged to discuss the provision for which they had paid,1 renewed their conference upon the old subject; and Pipes giving his mess-mate to understand , that Peregrine’s chief confident was the old deaf batchelor, whom he had seen at his lodging the preceding day, Mr. Hatchway, in his great penetration, discovered, that the young gentleman’s obstinacy proceeded from the advice of the Misanthrope, whom, for that reason, it was their business to chastise. Pipes entered into this opinion the more willingly, as he had all along believed the senior to be a sort of wizzard, or some caco-dæmon,2 whom it was not very creditable to be acquainted with. Indeed, he had been inspired with this notion by the insinuations of Hadgi, who had formerly dropped some hints touching Crabtree’s profound knowledge in the magic art; mentioning , in particular, his being possessed of the philosopher’s stone;3 an assertion to which Tom had given implicit credit, until his master was sent to prison for debt, when he could no longer suppose Cadwallader lord of such a valuable secret, else he would have certainly procured the enlargement of his most intimate friend. With these sentiments he espoused the resentment of Hatchway; and they determined to seize the supposed conjurer, with the first opportunity, on his return from his visit to Peregrine, and, without hesitation, exercise upon him the discipline of the pump. This plan they would have executed that same evening, had not the Misanthrope luckily withdrawn himself, by accident, before it was dark, and even before they had intelligence of his retreat. But, next day, they kept themselves upon the watch ’till he appeared, and Pipes lifting his hat, as Crabtree passed, “O damn ye, old Dunny (said he),4 you and I must grapple by and by; and, a’gad! I shall lie so near your quarter, that your ear-ports will let in the sound, tho’f they were double caulked with oakum.”5 The Misanthrope’s ears were not quite so fast closed, but that they received this intimation ; which, tho’ delivered in terms that he did not well understand, had such an effect upon his apprehension, that he signified his doubts to Peregrine, observing, that he did not much like the looks of that same ruffian with the wooden leg. Pickle assured him, he had nothing to fear from the two sailors, who could have no cause of resentment against him; or, if they had, would not venture to take any step, which they knew must block up all the avenues to that reconcilement, about which they were so anxious ; and, moreover, give such offence to the governor of the place, as would infallibly induce him to expel them both from his territories. Notwithstanding this assurance, the young gentleman was not so confident of the lieutenant’s discretion, as to believe that Crabtree’s fears were altogether without foundation : he forthwith conjectured that Jack had taken umbrage at an intimacy, from 616 The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle which he found himself excluded, and imputed his disgrace to the insinuations of Cadwallader , whom, in all likelihood, he intended to punish for his supposed advice. He knew his friend could sustain no great damage from the lieutenant’s resentment, in a place which he could immediately alarm with his cries, and therefore wished he might fall into the snare, because it would furnish him with a pretence of complaint; in consequence of which, the sailors would be obliged to shift their quarters, so as that he should be rid of their company, in which he at present could find no enjoyment. Every thing happened as he had foreseen; the Misanthrope, in his retreat from Peregrine ’s chamber, was assaulted by Hatchway and his associate, who seized him by the collar without ceremony, and began to drag him towards the pump, at which they would have certainly complimented him with a very disagreeable bath, had not he exalted his voice in such a manner, as in a moment brought a number of the inhabitants, and Pickle himself...