The Adventures of Peregrine PickleSmollett, T. (Tobias)
General
The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle
Smollett, T. (Tobias)
Adventure stories; Fiction; Picaresque literature
length of his commander's foot--though he has another favourite in the
house called Tom Pipes, that was his boatswain's mate, and now keeps the
servants in order. Tom is a man of few words, but an excellent hand at
a song concerning the boatswain's whistle, hustle-cap, and
chuck-farthing--there is not such another pipe in the county--so that
the commodore lives very happy in his own manner; though he be sometimes
thrown into perilous passions and quandaries, by the application of his
poor kinsmen, whom he can't abide, because as how some of them were the
first occasion of his going to sea. Then he sweats with agony at the
sight of an attorney, just, for all the world, as some people have an
antipathy to a cat: for it seems he was once at law, for striking one of
his officers, and cast in a swinging sum. He is, moreover, exceedingly
afflicted with goblins that disturb his rest, and keep such a racket in
his house, that you would think (God bless us!) all the devils in hell
had broke loose upon him. It was no longer ago than last year about
this time, that he was tormented the livelong night by the mischievous
spirits that got into his chamber, and played a thousand pranks about
his hammock, for there is not one bed within his walls. Well, sir,
he rang his bell, called up all his servants, got lights, and made
a thorough search; but the devil a goblin was to be found. He had no
sooner turned in again, and the rest of the family gone to sleep, than
the foul fiends began their game anew. The commodore got up in the
dark, drew his cutlass, and attacked them both so manfully, that in
five minutes everything in the apartment went to pieces, The lieutenant,
hearing the noise, came to his assistance. Tom Pipes, being told what
was the matter, lighted his match, and going down to the yard, fired all
the patereroes as signals of distress. Well, to be sure the whole parish
was in a pucker: some thought the French had landed; others imagined the
commodore's house was beset by thieves; for my own part, I called up two
dragoons that are quartered upon me, and they swore, with deadly oaths,
it was a gang of smugglers engaged with a party of their regiment that
lies in the next village; and mounting their horses like lusty fellows,
rode up into the country as fast as their beasts could carry them. Ah,
master! These are hard times, when an industrious body cannot earn his
bread without fear of the gallows. Your worship's father (God rest his
soul!) was a good gentleman, and as well respected in this parish as
e'er a he that walks upon neat's leather; and if your honour should want
a small parcel of fine tea, or a few ankers of right Nantes, I'll be
bound you shall be furnished to your heart's content. But, as I was
saying, the hubbub continued till morning, when the parson being sent
for, conjured the spirits into the Red Sea; and the house has been
pretty quiet ever since. True it is, Mr. Hatchway makes a mock of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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