The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle

Chapter the Last

640 The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle through a spacious avenue, that extended as far as the highway, to the gate of a large chateau, of a most noble and venerable appearance, which induced them to alight and view the apartments, contrary to their first intention of drinking a glass of his October at the door.4 The rooms were every way suitable to the magnificence of the outside, and our hero imagined they had made a tour through the whole sweep, when the landlord gave him to understand that they had not yet seen the best apartment of the house, and immediately led them into a spacious dining-room, which Peregrine did not enter without giving manifest signs of uncommon astonishment. The pannels all round were covered with portraits, at full length, by Vandyke;5 and not one of them appeared without a ridiculous tye-perriwig,6 in the style of those that usually hang over the shops of twopenny barbers.7 The strait boots in which the figures had been originally painted, and the other circumstances of attitude and drapery, so inconsistent with this monstrous furniture of the head, exhibited such a ludicrous appearance, that Pickle’s wonder, in a little time, gave way to his mirth, and he was seized with a violent fit of laughter, which had well nigh deprived him of his breath. The squire, half pleased and half offended at this expression of ridicule, “I know (said he) what makes you laugh so woefully: you think it strange to zee my vorefathers booted and spurred, with huge three-tailed perriwigs on their pates. The truth of the matter is this: I could not abide to zee the pictures of my vamily, with a parcel of loose hair hanging about their eyes, like zo many colts; and zo I employed a painter vellow from Lundon to clap decent perriwigs upon their skulls, at the rate of vive shillings a head, and offered him three shillings a-piece to furnish each with an handzome pair of shoes and stockings: but the rascal, thinking I must have ’em done at any price, after their heads were covered, haggled with me for vour shillings a picture; and zo, rather than be imposed upon, I turned him off, and shall let ’em stand as they are, ’till zome more reasonable brother of the brush comes round the country.” Pickle commended his resolution, tho’, in his heart, he blessed himself from such a barbarous Goth; and, after they had dispatched two or three bottles of his beer, they proceeded on their journey, and arrived in town about eleven at night. chapter the last. He enjoys an interview with Emilia, and makes himself ample amends for all the mortifications of his life. Godfrey, who had taken leave of his sister, on pretence of making a short excursion with Peregrine, whose health required the enjoyment of fresh air, after his long confinement, sent a message to her, that same night, announcing his arrival, and giving her notice that he would breakfast with her next morning; when he and our hero, who Volume Four, Chapter CXIV 641 had dressed himself for the purpose, taking a hackney-coach, repaired to her lodging, and were introduced into a parlour, adjoining to that in which the tea-table was set. Here they had not waited many minutes when they heard the sound of feet, coming down stairs; upon which our hero’s heart began to beat the alarm, and he concealed himself behind the screen, by the direction of his friend, whose ears being saluted with Sophy’s voice from the next room, he flew into it with great ardour, and enjoyed upon her lips the sweet transports of a meeting so unexpected; for he had left her in her father ’s house at Windsor. Amidst these emotions, he had almost forgot the situation of Peregrine; when Emilia, assuming an enchanting air, “Is not this (said she) a most provoking scene to a young woman like me, who am doomed to wear the willow,1 by the strange caprice of my lover? Upon my word, brother, you have done me infinite prejudice, in promoting this jaunt with my obstinate correspondent; who, I suppose, is so ravished with this transient glimpse of liberty, that he will never be persuaded to incur unnecessary con- finement for the future.” “My dear sister, (replied the captain, tauntingly) your own pride set him the example; so you must...