<h2><SPAN name="chap42"></SPAN>CHAPTER XLII</h2>
<p class="letter">
He takes his passage in a cutter for Deal—we are accosted by a Priest,
who proves to be a Scotchman—his profession on friendship—he is
affronted by the Lieutenant, who afterwards appeases him by submission—my
uncle embarks—I am introduced by a Priest to a Capuchin, in whose company
I set out for Paris—the character of my fellow traveller—on
adventure on the road—I am shocked at his behaviour</p>
<p>When our repast was ended, we walked down to the harbour, where we found a
cutter that was to sail for Deal in the evening, and Mr. Bowling agreed for his
passage. In the meantime, we sauntered about the town to satisfy our curiosity,
our conversation turning on the subject of my designs, which were not as yet
fixed: neither can it be supposed that my mind was at ease, when I found myself
reduced almost to extreme poverty, in the midst of foreigners, among whom I had
not one acquaintance to advise or befriend me. My uncle was sensible of my
forlorn condition, and pressed me to accompany him to England, where he did not
doubt of finding some sort of provision for me; but besides the other reasons I
had for avoiding that kingdom, I looked upon it, at this time, as the worst
country in the universe for a poor honest man to live in; and therefore
determined to remain in France, at all events.</p>
<p>I was confirmed in this resolution by a reverend priest, who, passing by at
this time, and overhearing us speak English, accosted us in the same language,
telling us he was our countryman, and wishing it might be in his power to do us
any service. We thanked this grave person for his courteous offer, and invited
him to drink a glass with us, which he did not think proper to refuse, and we
went altogether into a tavern of his recommending. After having drunk to our
healths in a bumper of good Burgundy, he began to inquire into our situation,
particularly the place of our nativity, which we no sooner named than he
started up, and, wringing our hands with great fervour, shed a flood of tears,
crying, “I come from the same part of the country! perhaps you are my own
relations.” I was on my guard against his caresses, which I suspected
very much, when I remembered the adventure of the money-dropper; but, without
any appearance of diffidence, observed, that, as he was born in that part of
the country, he must certainly know our families, which (howsoever mean our
present appearance might be) were none of the most obscure or inconsiderable.
Then I discovered our names, to which I found he was no stranger; he had known
my grandfather personally; and, notwithstanding an absence of fifty years from
Scotland, recounted so many particulars of the families in the neighbourhood,
that my scruples were entirely removed, and I thought myself happy in his
acquaintance. In the course of our conversation, I disclosed my condition
without reserve, and displayed my talents to such advantage, that the old
father looked upon me with admiration, and assured me, that, if I stayed in
France, and listened to reason, I could not fail of making my fortune, to which
he would contribute all in his power.</p>
<p>My uncle began to be jealous of the Priest’s insinuation, and very
abruptly declared, that if ever I should renounce my religion, he would break
off all connection and correspondence with me; for it was his opinion, that no
honest man would swerve from his principles in which he was bred, whether
Turkish, Protestant, or Roman. The father, affronted at this declaration, with
great vehemence began a long discourse, setting forth the danger of obstinacy,
and shutting one’s eyes against the light. He said, that ignorance would
be no plea towards justification, when we had opportunities of being better
informed; and, that, if the minds of people had not been open to conviction,
the Christian religion could not have been propagated in the world, and we
should now be in a state of Pagan darkness and barbarity: he endeavoured to
prove, by some texts of Scripture and many quotations from the Fathers, that
the Pope was the successor of St. Peter, and vicar of Jesus Christ; that the
church of Rome was the true, holy, catholic church; and that the Protestant
faith was an impious heresy and damnable schism, by which many millions of
souls would suffer everlasting perdition. When he had finished his sermon,
which I thought he pronounced with more zeal than discretion, he addressed
himself to my uncle, desired to know his objections to what had been said. The
lieutenant, whose attention had been wholly engrossed by his own affairs, took
the pipe out of his mouth, and replied, “As for me, friend, d’ye
see, I have no objection to what you say; it may be either truth or false, for
what I know; I meddle with nobody’s affairs but my own; the gunner to his
linstock, and the steersman to the helm, as the saying is. I trust to no creed
but the compass, and do unto every man as I would be done by; so that I defy
the Pope, the Devil, and the Pretender; and hope to be saved as well as
another.” This association of persons gave great offence to the friar,
who protested, in a mighty passion, that if Mr. Bowling had not been his
countryman, he would have caused him to be imprisoned for his insolence; I
ventured to disapprove of my uncle’s rashness, and appeased the old
gentleman, by assuring him there was no offence intended by my kinsman, who, by
this time sensible of his error, shook the injured party by the hand, and asked
pardon for the freedom he had taken. Matters being amicably compromised, he
invited us to come and see him in the afternoon at the convent to which he
belonged, and took his leave for the present; when my uncle recommended it
strongly to me to persevere in the religion of my forefathers, whatever
advantages might propose to myself by a change, which could not fail of
disgracing myself, and dishonouring my family. I assured him no consideration
would induce me to forfeit his friendship and good opinion on that score; at
which assurance he discovered great satisfaction, and put me in mind of dinner,
which we immediately bespoke, and when it was ready, ate together.</p>
<p>I imagined my acquaintance with the Scottish priest if properly managed, might
turn out to my advantage, and therefore resolved to cultivate it as much as I
could. With this view we visited him at his convent, according to his
invitation, where he treated us with wine and sweetmeats, and showed us
everything that was remarkable in the monastery. Having been thus entertained,
we took our leave, though not before I had promised to see him next day, and
the time fixed for my uncle’s embarking being come, I accompanied him to
the harbour, and saw him on board. We parted not without tears, after we had
embraced and wished one another all manner of prosperity: and he entreated me
to write to him often, directing to Lieutenant Bowling, at the sign of the
Union Flag, near the Hermitage, London.</p>
<p>I returned to the house in which we had met, where I passed the night in a very
solitary manner, reflecting on the severity of my fate, and endeavouring to
project some likely scheme of life for the future; but my invention failed me;
I saw nothing but insurmountable difficulties in my way, and was ready to
despair at the miserable prospect! That I might not, however, neglect any
probable reason, I got up in the morning, and went directly to the father,
whose advice and assistance I implored. He received me very kindly, and gave me
to understand, that there was one way of life in which a person of my talents
could not fail of making a great figure. I guessed his meaning, and told him,
once for all, I was fully determined against any alteration in point of
religion; therefore if his proposal regarded the church, he might save himself
the trouble of explaining it. He shook his head and sighed, saying, “Ah!
son, son, what a glorious prospect is here spoiled by your stubborn prejudice!
Suffer yourself to be persuaded by reason, and consult your temporal welfare,
as well as the concerns of your eternal soul. I can, by my interest procure
your admission as a noviciate to this convent, where I will superintend and
direct you with a truly paternal affection.” Then he launched out into
the praises of a monastic life, which no noise disturbs, no cares molest, and
no danger invades—where the heart is weaned from carnal attachments, the
grosser appetite subdued and chastised, and the soul wafted to divine regions
of philosophy and truth, on the wing of studious contemplation. But his
eloquence was lost upon me, whom two considerations enabled to withstand his
temptation; namely, my promise to my uncle, and my aversion to an
ecclesiastical life; for as to the difference of religion, I looked upon it as
a thing of too small moment to come in competition with a man’s fortune.
Finding me immovable on this head, he told me, he was more sorry than offended
at my noncompliance, and still ready to employ his good offices in my behalf.
“The same erroneous maxims,” said he, “that obstruct your
promotion in the church, will infallibly prevent your advancement in the army;
but, if you can brook the condition of a servant, I am acquainted with some
people of rank at Versailles, to whom I can give you letters of recommendation,
that you may be entertained by some one of them in quality of maitre
d’hotel; and I do not doubt that your qualifications will soon entitle
you to a better provision.” I embraced his offer with great eagerness,
and he appointed me to come back in the afternoon, when he would not only give
me letters, but likewise introduce me to a capuchin of his acquaintance, who
intended to set out for Paris next morning in whose company I might travel,
without being at the expense of one livre during the whole journey. This piece
of good news gave me infinite pleasure; I acknowledged my obligation to the
benevolent father in the most grateful expressions; and he performed his
promise to a tittle, in delivering the letters, and making me acquainted with
the capuchin, with whom I departed next morning by break of day.</p>
<p>It was not long before I discovered my fellow traveller to be a merry facetious
fellow, who, notwithstanding his profession and appearance of mortification,
loved good eating and drinking better than his rosary, and paid more adoration
to a pretty girl than to the Virgin Mary, or St. Genevieve. He was a thick
brawny young man, with red eyebrows, a hook nose, a face covered with freckles;
and his name was Frere Balthazar. His order did not permit him to wear linen,
so that, having little occasion to undress himself, he was none of the
cleanliest animals in the world; and his constitution was naturally so strongly
scented that I always thought it convenient to keep to the windward of him in
our march. As he was perfectly well known on the road, we fared sumptuously
without any cost, and the fatigue of our journey was much alleviated by the
good humour of my companion, who sang an infinite number of catches on the
subjects of love and wine. We took up our lodging the first night at a
peasant’s house not far from Abbeville, where we were entertained with an
excellent ragout, cooked by our landlord’s daughters, one of whom was
very handsome. After having eaten heartily and drank a sufficient quantity of
small wine, we were conducted to a barn, where we found a couple of carpets
spread upon clean straw for our reception. We had not lain in this situation
above half-an-hour, when we heard somebody knock softly at the door, upon which
Balthazar got up, and let in our host’s two daughters, who wanted to have
some private conversation with him in the dark. When they had whispered
together some time, the capuchin came to me, and asked if I was insensible to
love, and so hard-hearted as to refuse a share of my bed to a pretty maid who
had a tendre for me? I must own to my shame, that I suffered myself to be
overcome by my passion, and with great eagerness seized the occasion, when I
understood that the amiable Nanette was to be my bedfellow. In vain did my
reason suggest the respect that I owed to my dear mistress Narcissa; the idea
of that lovely charmer rather increased than allayed the ferment of my spirits;
and the young paysanne had no reason to complain of my remembrance. Early in
the morning, the kind creatures left us to our repose, which lasted till eight
o’clock when we got up, and were treated at breakfast with chocolate and
l’eau-de-vie by our paramours, of whom we took a tender leave, after my
companion had confessed and given them absolution.</p>
<p>While we proceeded on our journey, the conversation turned upon the
night’s adventure, being introduced by the capuchin, who asked me how I
liked my lodging; I declared my satisfaction, and talked in rapture of the
agreeable Nanette, at which he shook his head, and smiling said, she was a
morceau pour la bonne bouche. “I never valued myself,” continued
he, “upon anything so much as the conquest of Nanette; and, vanity apart,
I have been pretty fortunate in my amours.” This information shocked me
not a little, as I was well convinced of his intimacy with her sister; and
though I did not care to tax him with downright incest, I professed my
astonishment at his last night’s choice, when, I supposed, the other was
at his devotion. To this hint he answered that, besides his natural
complaisance to the sex, he had another reason to distribute his favours
equally between them, namely, to preserve peace in the family, which could not
otherwise be maintained; that, moreover, Nanette had conceived an affection for
me, and he loved her too well to balk her inclination; more especially, when he
had an opportunity of obliging his friend at the same time. I thanked him for
this instance of his friendship, though I was extremely disgusted at his want
of delicacy, and cursed the occasion that threw me in his way. Libertine as I
was, I could not bear to see a man behave so wide of the character he assumed.
I looked upon him as a person of very little worth or honesty, and should even
have kept a wary eye upon my pocket, if I had thought he could have had any
temptation to steal. But I could not conceive the use of money to a capuchin,
who is obliged, by the rules of his order, to appear like a beggar, and enjoy
all other necessaries of life gratis; besides, my fellow traveller seemed to be
of a complexion too careless and sanguine to give me any apprehension on that
score; so that I proceeded with great confidence, in expectation of being soon
at my journey’s end.</p>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />
1 of 2
2 of 2
Previous
Next
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.