The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 2 (of 2)Paltock, Robert
Science
The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 2 (of 2)
Paltock, Robert
Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction
When we came to the grotto, I was very much put to it for room, we
scarce being able to stand upright by each other, much less to sit down;
which my father perceiving, "My dear friends," says he, "had my son
known in time of so much good company, he would have been better
provided with seats for us all; but considering all we see is the labour
only of his own hands, we should rather admire at the many conveniences
we see here, than be uneasy there are no more. And, son," says he,
"as we are now so large a body, I propose we adjourn to the officers'
quarters and let them take ours." I returned my father thanks for the
hint, and led the way, the rest following, where we found room enough
and to spare.
Though Youwarkee was with us all dinner-time helping the guests, we had
no sooner done, "But," says Quangrollart aloud, "Brother Peter, are we
not to see my sister?" I not hearing perfectly what he said, though I
perceived he spoke to me, "Sir," says I.--"My sister Youwarkee!" says
he, "why won't she appear? Here are several of her good friends as well
as myself will be glad to see her." My father then laughed so heartily
that the rest taking notice of it, my poor brother was put to the blush.
"Son," says my father, "don't you know your own sister?"--"We have not
seen her yet," says one of the colambs, "or any lady but your daughter
Hallycarnie and that attendant." My brother then seeing how it was came
up to salute my wife; but even then had his scruples, till he saw her
smile, and then begged pardon for his oversight, as did all the colambs
upon saluting her; my brother declaring that, as she was somewhat behind
me on the level, he had only paid her the respect of his chin, taking
her for some one attending me. The colamb following my brother, assured
her the little regard shown her by Quangrollart, who, he thought,
should know best where to bestow his respects, was the reason of his
taking no more notice of her; and each confessing his mistake arose from
too nearly copying the steps of his immediate predecessor, they all made
excuse, and the mistake made us very merry, till they proposed taking
a turn in the woods, it being a great novelty to them, they said; but I
begged they would leave me behind to prepare for their return.
Having refreshed themselves after they came home, Quangrollart (being
put upon it by some of the colambs) told me I could not render a more
acceptable favour to the whole company than to relate to them an account
of my adventures; "for though," says he, "I told them last night what I
remembered to have heard from you, yet the variety was so great I could
not deliver the facts in order as I heard them, but was obliged to take
here a piece and there another, as they occurred to me, making rather
several stories of it than a continued series of facts."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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