Volume Ii Part 8 (1/2)
”Eh!” cried the host, ”what are you about, my good Mr. Pepusch? Have you been offended by these strange people? Perhaps you are mistaken in them. This is the ballet-master, Monsieur Legenie, and this the Douanier, Monsieur Leech.”
”Ballet-master Legenie! Douanier Leech!” repeated Pepusch, in a hollow voice.
He seemed as if waking out of a dream, and trying to recollect himself.
In the mean time two honest citizens, of his acquaintance, came out of the inn, who joined in persuading him to be quiet, and let the fellows go about their business.
Again Pepusch exclaimed, ”Ballet-master Legenie! Douanier Leech!” and let his arms drop powerless by his side. With the speed of wind, the released prisoners were off, and it seemed to many in the street as if the Amateur fled over the roofs of the neighbouring houses, and the barber was lost in the puddle that had collected itself between the stones before the door.
The two citizens invited the distracted Pepusch to come in and drink a gla.s.s of old hock with them, an offer which he readily accepted, and seemed to enjoy the generous wine, though he sate silent and abstracted, and answered not a word to all that could be said to him.
At last, however, his features brightened up, and he said, very kindly, ”You did well, my friends, in hindering me from killing, on the spot, those wretches, who were in my power. But you know not what dangerous creatures lurk beneath their masks.”
Pepusch paused, and it may be easily supposed with what eagerness the citizens waited for what he had to discover. The host also had approached them, and all three poked their heads together, with their arms crossed upon the table, and held in their breath, that they might not lose a syllable from Peregrine's mouth.
”See, my good people,” he continued solemnly, ”see; he, whom you call the Balletmaster, Legenie, is no other than the evil, awkward genius, Thetel; the other, whom you take for the Douanier, Leech, is the hateful bloodsucker, the Leech-Prince. Both are in love with the Princess, Gamaheh, who, as you know, is the daughter of the mighty king, Sekakis, and are here to make her false to the Thistle, Zeherit.
This is the greatest folly that ever entered into a foolish brain, for, besides the Thistle, Zeherit, there is but one person in the world to whom she can belong, and this person would perhaps vainly enter into the contest with Zeherit. For soon the Thistle will bloom at midnight in full splendour and strength, and in the death of love dawns the morning of a higher life. Now, I myself am the Thistle, Zeherit, and, therefore, my good friends, you cannot blame me if I am indignant with those traitors, and altogether take the whole affair much to heart.”
The three listeners opened their eyes wide, and stared, speechlessly, at Pepusch, with open mouths. They had tumbled out of the clouds, as people say, and their heads were humming with the fall. But Pepusch emptied a b.u.mper, and, turning to the host, said, ”Yes, yes, mine host; you will soon see that I shall bloom as the _Cactus grandiflorus_, and the whole country round will be impregnated with its perfume. You may believe me, friends.”
The host could utter nothing but an exclamation of stupid surprise--”Eh! that would be the deuce!” The two citizens exchanged mysterious glances, and one, taking George's hand, said with a doubtful smile, ”You seem to be somewhat disquieted, my good Mr. Pepusch; how, if you were to take a gla.s.s of water, and--”
”Not a drop!” exclaimed Peregrine, interrupting the well-meant counsel; ”not a drop! Has water ever been poured upon boiling oil without increasing the fury of the flames?--I am disquieted, you say? In truth that may well be the case; how the devil can I be otherwise, after having exchanged shots with my bosom friend, and then sending a bullet through my own brain?--Here, into your hands I deliver up the murderous weapons, now that all is over.”
Pepusch drew a brace of pistols from his pocket, whereat the host started back; the citizens s.n.a.t.c.hed at them, but, no sooner had they fairly hold of them, than they burst out into immoderate laughter. The pistols were of wood, a plaything from the Christmas fair.
Pepusch seemed to pay no attention to what was going on about him; he sate in deep thought, and continually cried out, ”If I could but find him! if I could but find him!”
The host took courage, and modestly asked, ”Whom do you mean, my good Mr. Pepusch? Whom can you not find?”
”Know you,” said Pepusch solemnly, and fixing the host with a keen gaze,--”know you any one to be compared, in might and wondrous power, with the king Sekakis; then name his name and I will kiss your feet.
But for the rest, I would ask you if you know any one who is acquainted with Mr. Peregrine Tyss, and can tell me where I may meet him at this present moment?”
To this the host replied, smirking amiably, ”Here I can serve you, respected Mr. Pepusch, and inform you, that he was with me an hour ago, taking a gla.s.s of wine. He was very thoughtful, and when I asked 'What news on 'Change?' he suddenly cried out, 'Yes, sweet Gamaheh! I have renounced you! Be happy in my George's arms!' Upon this a thin curious voice said, 'Let us now go to Leuwenhock's, and peep into the horoscope.' Immediately Mr. Tyss emptied his gla.s.s, and they went away together--that is, Mr. Tyss and the voice without a body. Probably they have gone to Leuwenhock's, who is lamenting that his well-disciplined fleas have, one and all, deserted him.”
The words were scarcely out of the host's mouth than George started up in a fury, and, seizing him by the throat, cried out, ”Scoundrel, what do you say? Renounced? renounced her?--Gamaheh!--Peregrine!--Sekakis!”
The host's story, however, was perfectly correct. He had heard Master Flea, who was summoning Peregrine, in his fine silver tones, to go to the microscopist, Leuwenhock, for what purpose the reader knows already. Peregrine had really gone thither, and was received by Leuwenhock with that soft odious friendliness, and that humility of compliment, which announce the burthensome and reluctant recognition of superiority. But, as Mr. Tyss had the microscopic gla.s.s in the pupil of his eye, all this complimenting and subservience availed Antony von Leuwenhock nothing in the world; on the contrary, Peregrine only the more discovered the hatred which filled the heart of the microscopist.
While he protested how much he felt honoured and rejoiced by Mr. Tyss's visit, the thoughts ran thus:--”I wish that the devil had plunged you ten thousand fathoms deep in the abyss! But I must feign friends.h.i.+p and submission towards you, as the cursed constellation has placed me under your dominion, and my whole being in some sort depends upon you. But perhaps I may be able to outwit you, for, in spite of your high descent, you are a simple fool. You fancy that Dortje Elverd.i.n.k loves you, and will perhaps marry her. Only come to me about it, and you fall into my hands, in spite of the power that dwells within you without your knowing it, and I will employ every thing to ruin you, and gain possession of Dortje and Master Flea.”
Peregrine naturally regulated his conduct by these thoughts, and took good care not to say a syllable about Dortje Elverd.i.n.k, and pretended that he came to see Leuwenhock's collection of natural rarities.
While now Leuwenhock opened the great drawers, Master Flea whispered very gently in Peregine's ear, that his (Peregrine's) horoscope was lying on the table by the window. Here he saw all manner of lines, that mysteriously crossed each other, and many other wonderful signs; but as he was entirely deficient in astronomical knowledge, all remained confused and dark to him, look as keenly as he would. Yet it seemed strange to him, that, in the bright red point, in the middle of the table on which the horoscope was drawn, he plainly recognised himself.
The longer he looked at this point, the more it gained the shape of a heart, and the more brightly it reddened. Still it only sparkled as through a web, with which it was overspread.
Peregrine plainly saw that Leuwenhock wanted to draw off his attention from the horoscope, and as he ran no risk of being deceived, very rationally resolved to question his friendly enemy at once, and without any circ.u.mlocution, as to the meaning of the mysterious table.
Leuwenhock a.s.sured him, with a malicious smile, that nothing would give him greater pleasure than the explaining to his respected friend the signs upon the table, which he himself had drawn, according to his slight knowledge in such matters.
The thoughts ran thus:--”Hoho! are you after that, my wise sir? In truth Master Flea has not advised you ill. I myself am to explain the table, and help you to the understanding of the magic might that dwells in your worthy person! I might invent some lies for you, but of what use would it be, for, if I were to tell you the truth, you would not understand a syllable, but would remain stupid as ever? From pure convenience, therefore, and not to put myself to the trouble of invention, I will tell you so much of the signs of the table as seems good to me.”
Peregrine knew now that, if he was not to learn all, at least he would not be deceived with falsehoods.
Leuwenhock placed the tablet on something like an easel, which he brought forward from a corner of the room, and both seating themselves before it, considered it for a time in silence. At length Leuwenhock began with much solemnity: