The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 1 (of 2)Paltock, Robert
Science
The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 1 (of 2)
Paltock, Robert
Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction
When the weather cleared up a little by the lengthening of daylight, I
took courage one afternoon to invite her to walk with me to the lake;
but she sweetly excused herself from it, whilst there was such a
frightful glare of light, as she said; but looking out at the door,
told me, if I would not go out of the wood she would accompany me: so we
agreed to take a turn only there. I first went myself over the stile of
the door, and thinking it rather too high for her, I took her in my arms
and lifted her over. But even when I had her in this manner, I knew not
what to make of her clothing, it sat so true and close; but seeing by a
steadier and truer light in the grove, though a heavy gloomy one, than
my lamp had afforded, I begged she would let me know of what silk or
other composition her garment was made. She smiled, and asked me if mine
was not the same under my jacket "No, lady," says I, "I have nothing
but my skin under my clothes."--"Why, what do you mean?" replies she,
somewhat tartly; "but indeed I was afraid that something was the matter
by that nasty covering you wear, that you might not be seen. Are you
not a glumm?"*--"Yes,"says I, "fair creature." (Here, though you may
conceive she spoke part English, part her own tongue, and I the same, as
we best understood each other, yet I shall give you our discourse, word
for word, in plain English.) "Then," says she, "I am afraid you must
have been a very bad man, and have been crashee,** which I should be
very sorry to hear."
* A man.
** Slit.
I told her I believed we were none of us so good as we might be, but I
hoped my faults had not at most exceeded other men's; but I had suffered
abundance of hardships in my time; and that at last Providence
having settled me in this spot, from whence I had no prospect of ever
departing, it was none of the least of its mercies to bring to my
knowledge and company the most exquisite piece of all His works, in her,
which I should acknowledge as long as I lived. She was surprised at this
discourse, and asked me (if I did not mean to impose upon her, and was
indeed an ingcrashee* glumm) why I should tell her I had no prospect of
departing hence. "Have not you," says she, "the same prospect that I or
any other person has of departing? Sir," added she, "you don't do
well, and really I fear you are slit, or you would not wear this nasty
cumbersome coat (taking hold of my jacket-sleeve), if you were not
afraid of showing the signs of a bad life upon your natural clothing."
* Unslit.
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