The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle

Chapter LVII

250 The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle ised to recommend him strenuously to the pious admonitions of the young woman under his care, who was a perfect saint upon earth, and endued with the peculiar gift of mollifying the hearts of obdurate sinners. “O father! (cried the hypocritical projector , who by this time perceived that his money was not thrown away) if I could be favoured but for one half hour with the private instructions of that inspired devotee, my mind presages, that I should be a stray’d sheep brought back into the fold, and that I should find easy entrance at the gates of heaven! There is something supernatural in her aspect; I gaze upon her with the most pious fervor, and my whole soul is agitated with tumults of hope and despair!” Having pronounced this rhapsody with transport half natural and half affected, the priest assured him, that these were operations of the spirit, which must not be repressed; and comforted him with the hope of enjoying the blessed interview which he desired, protesting, that as far as his influence extended, his wish should be that very evening indulged. The gracious pupil thanked him for his benevolent concern, which he swore should not be squandered upon an ungrateful object; and the rest of the company interrupting the conversation, they returned in a body to the inn, where they dined all together; and the ladies were persuaded to be our hero’s guests. As the subjects on which they had been engaged before dinner were not exhausted, each brace resumed their former theme, when they were replaced in the Diligence. The painter’s mistress finished her conquest, by exerting her skill in the art of ogling, accompanied by frequent bewitching sighs, and some tender French songs that she sung with such pathetic expression, as quite melted the resolution of Pallet, and utterly subdued his affection: and he, to convince her of the importance of her victory, gave a specimen of his own talents, by entertaining her with that celebrated English ditty, the burthen11 of which begins with, The pigs they lie with their arses bare.12 chapter lvii. He makes some progress in her affections; is interrupted by a dispute between Jolter and a Jew; appeases the wrath of the Capuchin, who procures for him an interview with his fair enslaver, in which he finds himself deceived. Peregrine, mean while, employed all his insinuation and address in practising upon the heart of the Capuchin’s fair charge. He had long ago declared his passion, not in the superficial manner of a French gallant, but with all the ardor of an enthusiast. He had languished, vow’d, flattered, kiss’d her hand by stealth, and had no reason to complain of his reception. Though by a man of a less sanguine disposition, her particular complaisance would have been deemed equivocal, and perhaps nothing more than the effect of French breeding and constitutional vivacity; he gave his own qualifi- Volume Two, Chapter LVII 251 cations credit for the whole, and with these sentiments carried on the attack with such unabating vigour, that she was actually prevailed upon to accept a ring, which he presented as a token of his esteem; and every thing proceeded in a most prosperous train, when they were disturbed by the governor and Israelite, who in the heat of disputation raised their voices, and poured forth such effusions of gutturals, as set our lover’s teeth on edge. As they spoke in a language unknown to every one in the carriage but themselves , and looked at each other with mutual animosity and rancour, Peregrine desired to know the cause of their contention. Upon which, Jolter exclaimed in a furious tone, “This learned Levite, forsooth, has the impudence to tell me, that I don’t understand Hebrew; and affirms, that the word Benoni signifies child of joy; whereas I can prove, and indeed have already said enough to convince any reasonable man, that in the Septuagint it is rightly translated into son of my sorrow.”1 Having thus explained himself to his pupil, he turned to the priest, with intention to appeal to his determination; but the Jew pulled him by the sleeve with great eagerness, saying, “For the love of God be quiet, the Capuchin will discover who we are!” Jolter, offended at this conjunction, ecchoed “Who we are!” with great emphasis; and repeating nos poma natamus,2 asked ironically, to which of...