CHAPTER XV.
Wilkin s afraid of losing his new mistress--They live together all winter--A remark on that--They begin to know each other's language--A long discourse between them at cross purposes--She flies--They engage to be man and wife.
After my new love had been with me a fortnight, finding my water runlow, I was greatly troubled at the thought of quitting her any time togo for more; and having hinted it to her, with seeming uneasiness,she could not for a while fathom my meaning; but when she saw me muchconfused, she came at length, by the many signs I made, to imagine itwas my concern for her which made me so; whereupon she expressivelyenough signified I might be easy, for she did not fear anythinghappening to her in my absence. On this, as well as I could declare mymeaning, I entreated her not to go away before my return. As soon as sheunderstood what I signified to her by actions, she sat down, with herarms across, leaning her head against the wall to assure me she wouldnot stir. However, as I had before nailed a cord to the outside of thedoor, I tied that for caution's sake to the tree, for fear of the worst:but I believe she had not the least design of removing.
I took my boat, net, and water-cask, as usual, desirous of bringing herhome a fresh fish dinner, and succeeded so well as to catch enough forseveral good meals, and to spare. What remained I salted, and found sheliked that better than the fresh, after a few days' salting; though shedid not so well approve of that I had formerly pickled and dried. As mysalt grew very low, though I had been as sparing of it as possible, Inow resolved to try making some; and the next summer I effected it.
Thus we spent the remainder of the winter together, till the days beganto be light enough for me to walk abroad a little in the middle ofthem; for I was now under no apprehensions of her leaving me, as she hadbefore this time had so many opportunities of doing so, but never onceattempted it.
I must here make one reflection upon our conduct, which you will almostthink incredible, viz., that we two, of different sexes, not wanting ourpeculiar desires, fully inflamed with love to each other, and no outwardobstacle to prevent our wishes, should have been together, under thesame roof alone for five months, conversing together from morning tonight (for by this time she pretty well understood English, and I herlanguage), and yet I should never have clasped her in my arms, or haveshown any further amorous desires to her than what the deference I allalong paid her could give her room to surmise. Nay, I can affirm thatI did not even then know that the covering she wore was not the work ofart, but the work of nature, for I really took it for silk; though itmust be premised that I had never seen it by any other light than of mylamp. Indeed the modesty of her carriage and sweetness of her behaviourto me had struck into me such a dread of offending her, that thoughnothing upon earth could be more capable of exciting passion than hercharms, I could have died rather than have attempted only to salute herwithout actual invitation.
When the weather cleared up a little by the lengthening of daylight, Itook courage one afternoon to invite her to walk with me to the lake;but she sweetly excused herself from it, whilst there was such afrightful 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 weagreed to take a turn only there. I first went myself over the stile ofthe door, and thinking it rather too high for her, I took her in my armsand lifted her over. But even when I had her in this manner, I knew notwhat to make of her clothing, it sat so true and close; but seeing by asteadier and truer light in the grove, though a heavy gloomy one, thanmy lamp had afforded, I begged she would let me know of what silk orother composition her garment was made. She smiled, and asked me if minewas not the same under my jacket "No, lady," says I, "I have nothingbut my skin under my clothes."--"Why, what do you mean?" replies she,somewhat tartly; "but indeed I was afraid that something was the matterby that nasty covering you wear, that you might not be seen. Are younot a glumm?"*--"Yes,"says I, "fair creature." (Here, though you mayconceive she spoke part English, part her own tongue, and I the same, aswe best understood each other, yet I shall give you our discourse, wordfor word, in plain English.) "Then," says she, "I am afraid you musthave been a very bad man, and have been crashee,** which I should bevery sorry to hear."
* A man.
** Slit.
I told her I believed we were none of us so good as we might be, but Ihoped my faults had not at most exceeded other men's; but I had sufferedabundance of hardships in my time; and that at last Providencehaving settled me in this spot, from whence I had no prospect of everdeparting, it was none of the least of its mercies to bring to myknowledge 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 thisdiscourse, and asked me (if I did not mean to impose upon her, and wasindeed an ingcrashee* glumm) why I should tell her I had no prospect ofdeparting hence. "Have not you," says she, "the same prospect that I orany other person has of departing? Sir," added she, "you don't dowell, and really I fear you are slit, or you would not wear this nastycumbersome coat (taking hold of my jacket-sleeve), if you were notafraid of showing the signs of a bad life upon your natural clothing."
* Unslit.
I could not for my heart imagine what way there was to get out of mydominions. But certainly, thought I, there must be some way or other, orshe would not be so peremptory. And as to my jacket, and showing myselfin my natural clothing, I profess she made me blush; and but for shame,I would have stripped to my skin to have satisfied her. "But, madam,"says I, "pray pardon me, for you are really mistaken; I have examinedevery nook and corner of this new world in which we now are, and canfind no possible outlet; nay, even by the same way I came in, I am sureit is impossible to get out again."--"Why," says she, "what outlets haveyou searched for, or what way can you expect out but the way you camein? And why is that impossible to return by again? If you are not slit,is not the air open to you? Will not the sky admit you to patrole in it,as well as other people? I tell you, sir, I fear you have been slit foryour crimes; and though you have been so good to me, that I can't helploving of you heartily for it, yet if I thought you had been slit, Iwould not, nay, could not, stay a moment longer with you; no, though itshould break my heart to leave you."
I found myself now in a strange quandary, longing to know what she meantby being slit, and had a hundred strange notions in my head whether Iwas slit or not; for though I knew what the word naturally signifiedwell enough, yet in what manner or by what figure of speech she appliedit to me, I had no idea of. But seeing her look a little angrily uponme, "Pray, madam," says I, "don't be offended, if I take the liberty toask you what you mean by the word crashee* so often repeated by you; forI am an utter stranger to what you mean by it."--"Sir," says she, "prayanswer me first how you came here?"--"Madam," replied I, "will youplease to take a walk to the verge of the wood, I will show you the verypassage."--"Sir," says she, "I perfectly know the range of the rocks allround, and by the least description, without going to see them, can tellfrom which you descended."--"In truth," said I, "most charming lady, Idescended from no rock at all; nor would I for a thousand worlds attemptwhat could not be accomplished but by my destruction."--"Sir," saysshe, in some anger, "it is false, and you impose upon me."--"I declareto you," says I, "madam, what I tell you is strictly true; I never wasnear the summit of any of the surrounding rocks, or anything like it;but as you are not far from the verge of the wood, be so good as to stepa little farther and I will show you my entrance in hither."--"Well,"says she, "now this odious dazzle of light is lessened, I don't care ifI do go with you."
When we came far enough to see the bridge, "There, madam," says I,"there is my entrance, where the sea pours into this lake from yondercavern."--"It is not possible," says she; "this is another untruth; andas I see you would deceive me, and are not to be believed, farewell; Imust be gone. But, hold," says she, "let me ask you one thing more; thatis, by what means did you come through that cavern? You could not haveused to have come over the rock?"--
"Bless me, madam!" says I, "do youthink I and my boat could fly? Come over the rock, did you say? No,madam; I sailed from the great sea, the main ocean, in my boat, throughthat cavern into this very lake here."--"What do you mean by your boat?"says she. "You seem to make two things of your boat you say you sailedwith and yourself."--"I do so," replied I; "for, madam, I take myselfto be good flesh and blood, but my boat is made of wood and othermaterials."--"Is it so?" says she. "And, pray, where is this boatthat is made of wood and other materials?--under your jacket?"--"Lord,madam!" says I, "you put me in fear that you were angry; but now I hopeyou only joke with me. What, put a boat under my jacket! No, madam; myboat is in the lake."--"What, more untruths?" says she.--"No, madam," Ireplied; "if you would be satisfied of what I say (every word of whichis as true as that my boat now is in the lake), pray walk with methither and make your own eyes judges what sincerity I speak with." Tothis she agreed, it growing dusky; but assured me, if I did not give hergood satisfaction, I should see her no more.
We arrived at the lake; and going to my wet-dock, "Now, madam," saysI, "pray satisfy yourself whether I spake true or no." She looked at myboat, but could not yet frame a proper notion of it. Says I, "Madam,in this very boat I sailed from the main ocean through that cavern intothis lake; and shall at last think myself the happiest of all men if youcontinue with me, love me, and credit me; and I promise you I'll neverdeceive you, but think my life happily spent in your service." I foundshe was hardly content yet to believe what I told her of my boat to betrue; till I stepped into it, and pushing from the shore, took my oarsin my hand, and sailed along the lake by her, as she walked on theshore. At last she seemed so well reconciled to me and my boat, that shedesired I would take her in. I immediately did so, and we sailed a goodway; and as we returned to my dock I described to her how I procured thewater we drank, and brought it to shore in that vessel.
"Well," says she, "I have sailed, as you call it, many a mile in mylifetime, but never in such a thing as this. I own it will serve verywell where one has a great many things to carry from place to place; butto be labouring thus at an oar when one intends pleasure in sailing, isin my mind a most ridiculous piece of slavery."--"Why, pray, madam, howwould you have me sail? for getting into the boat only will not carryus this way or that without using some force."--"But," says she, "pray,where did you get this boat, as you call it?"--"O madam!" says I, "thatis too long and fatal a story to begin upon now; this boat was made manythousand miles from hence, among a people coal-black, a quite differentsort from us; and, when I first had it, I little thought of seeing thiscountry; but I will make a faithful relation of all to you when we comehome." Indeed, I began to wish heartily we were there, for it grew intothe night; and having strolled so far without my gun, I was afraid ofwhat I had before seen and heard, and hinted our return; but I found mymotion was disagreeable to her, and so I dropped it.
I now perceived and wondered at it, that the later it grew themore agreeable it seemed to her; and as I had now brought her intogood-humour again by seeing and sailing in my boat, I was not willingto prevent its increase. I told her, if she pleased, we would land, andwhen I had docked my boat, I would accompany her where and as long asshe liked. As we talked and walked by the lake, she made a little runbefore me and sprung into it Perceiving this, I cried out, whereuponshe merrily called on me to follow her. The light was then so dim, asprevented my having more than a confused sight of her when she jumpedin; and looking earnestly after her, I could discern nothing more thana small boat in the water, which skimmed along at so great a rate that Ialmost lost sight of it presently; but running along the shore forfear of losing her, I met her gravely walking to meet me, and thenhad entirely lost sight of the boat upon the lake. "This," says she,accosting me with a smile, "is my way of sailing, which, I perceive, bythe fright you were in, you are altogether unacquainted with; and, asyou tell me you came from so many thousand miles off, it is possibleyou may be made differently from me: but, surely we are the part of thecreation which has had most care bestowed upon it; and I suspect, fromall your discourse, to which I have been very attentive, it is possibleyou may no more be able to fly than to sail as I do."--"No, charmingcreature," says I, "that I cannot, I'll assure you." She then, steppingto the edge of the lake, for the advantage of a descent before her,sprung up into the air, and away she went farther than my eyes couldfollow her.
I was quite astonished. "So," says I, "then all is over! all a delusionwhich I have so long been in! a mere phantom! Better had it been for menever to have seen her, than thus to lose her again! But what couldI expect had she stayed? For it is plain she is no human composition.But," says I, "she felt like flesh, too, when I lifted her out at thedoor!" I had but very little time for reflection; for, in about tenminutes after she had left me in this mixture of grief and amazement,she alighted just by me on her feet.
Her return, as she plainly saw, filled me with a transport not to beconcealed; and which, as she afterwards told me, was very agreeable toher. Indeed, I was some moments in such an agitation of mind from theseunparalleled incidents, that I was like one thunder-struck; but comingpresently to myself, and clasping her in my arms with as much love andpassion as I was capable of expressing, and for the first time withany desire,--"Are you returned again, kind angel," said I, "to bless awretch who can only be happy in adoring you? Can it be, that you, whohave so many advantages over me, should quit all the pleasures thatnature has formed you for, and all your friends and relations, to takean asylum in my arms? But I here make you a tender of all I am ableto bestow--my love and constancy."--"Come, come," says she, "no moreraptures; I find you are a worthier man than I thought I had reasonto take you for, and I beg your pardon for my distrust whilst I wasignorant of your imperfections; but now I verily believe all you havesaid is true; and I promise you, as you have seemed so much to delightin me, I will never quit you till death, or other as fatal accidentshall part us. But we will now, if you choose, go home; for I know youhave been some time uneasy in this gloom, though agreeable to me: for,giving my eyes the pleasure of looking eagerly on you, it conceals myblushes from your sight."
In this manner, exchanging mutual endearments and soft speeches, handin hand, we arrived at the grotto; where we that night consummated ournuptials, without farther ceremony than mutual solemn engagements toeach other; which are, in truth, the essence of marriage, and all thatwas there and then in our power.
Life And Adventures Of Peter Wilkins, Vol. I. (of II.) Page 19
