The Adventures of Peregrine PickleSmollett, T. (Tobias)
General
The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle
Smollett, T. (Tobias)
Adventure stories; Fiction; Picaresque literature
The next enterprise in which this triumvirate engaged, was a scheme to
frighten Trunnion with an apparition, which they prepared and exhibited
in this manner: to the hide of a large ox, Pipes fitted a leathern vizor
of a most terrible appearance, stretched on the jaws of a shark, which
he had brought from sea, and accommodated with a couple of broad glasses
instead of eyes. On the inside of these he placed two rushlights, and,
with a composition of sulphur and saltpetre, made a pretty large fusee,
which he fixed between two rows of the teeth. This equipage being
finished, he, one dark night chosen for the purpose, put it on, and,
following the commodore into a long passage, in which he was preceded by
Perry with a light in his hand, kindled his firework with a match, and
began to bellow like a bull. The boy, as it was concerted, looked behind
him, screamed aloud, and dropped the light, which was extinguished
in the fall; when Trunnion, alarmed at his nephew's consternation,
exclaimed, “Zounds! what's the matter?” and turning about to see the
cause of his dismay, beheld a hideous phantom vomiting blue flame, which
aggravated the horrors of its aspect. He was instantly seized with an
agony of fear, which divested him of his reason: nevertheless, he, as it
were mechanically, raised his trusty supporter in his own defence,
and, the apparition advancing towards him, aimed it at this dreadful
annoyance with such a convulsive exertion of strength, that had not the
blow chanced to light upon one of the horns Mr. Pipes would have had no
cause to value himself upon his invention. Misapplied as it was, he did
not fail to stagger at the shock; and, dreading another such salutation,
closed with the commodore, and having tripped up his heels, retreated
with great expedition.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account