Part 12 (1/2)
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CONTAINING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE KNIGHTS OF THE GRIFFIN AND CRESCENT
Mr Sycariffin painted on his shi+eld, being armed at all points, and his friend Dawdle provided with a certain implement, which he flattered himself would ensure a victory over the novice Crowe, they set out froe, with their attendants, in all the elevation of hope, and pranced along the highway that led towards London, that being the road which our adventurer pursued As they were extremely well mounted, and proceeded at a round pace, they, in less than two hours, came up with Sir Launcelot and his coht by his truood reasons, declined that office
Our adventurer hearing hi his rival, who had passed hiress, arive the satisfaction that was required, and desired that the regulations of the coht of the Griffin proposed, that the vanquished party should resign all pretensions to Miss Aurelia Darnel, in favour of the victor; that, while the principals were engaged, his friend Dawdle should run a tilt with Captain Crowe; that Squire Crabshaw and Mr
Sycamore's servant should keep themselves in readiness to assist their respectiveto the law of arms; and that Mr Clarke should observe the motions of the true to battle
Our knight agreed to these regulations, notwithstanding the earnest and pathetic re lawyer, ith tears in his eyes, conjured all the coht be attended with bloodshed and murder; and was contrary to the laws both of God and man In vain he endeavoured tothem with prosecutions in this world, and pains and penalties in the next They persisted in their resolution, and his uncle would have begun hostilities on his carcase, had he not been prevented by Sir Launcelot, who exhorted Clarke to retire froht not be involved in the consequences of the combat He relished this advice so well, that he had actually moved off to some distance; but his apprehensions and concern for his friends co-operating with an insatiable curiosity, detained hi fairly divided the ground, and the sa taken by the seconds on another part of the field, Sycaan to be invaded with soendered by the onist The confidence which he derived from the reluctance of Sir Launcelot now vanished, because it plainly appeared, that the knight's backwardness was not owing to personal tiht be attended with very serious consequences to his own life and reputation He therefore desired a parley, in which he observed his affection for Miss Darnel was of such a delicate nature, that, should the discomfiture of his rival contribute to make her unhappy, his victory must render him the most miserable wretch upon earth He proposed, therefore, that her sentiments and choice should be ascertained before they proceeded to extremity
Sir Launcelot declared that he wasAurelia's inclination, than of opposing the knight of the Griffin in arms; and that if he had the least reason to think Mr Sycauished by her preference, he would instantly give up his suit as desperate At the same time, he observed, that Sycamore had proceeded too far to retract; that he had insulted a gentleed, but even pursued hies which he (Sir Launcelot) would not suffer to pass unpunished Accordingly, he insisted on the co Sycamore as a craven, and a recreant This declaration was reinforced by Dawdle, who told hiement, all the world would look upon hiave a necessary fillip to the courage of the challenger The parties took their stations The truan their career with great ihted Mr Sycamore's steed, or soht, certain it is he started at about ave his rider such a violent shake as disco his lance to the best advantage Had our hero continued his career, with his lance couched, in all probability Sycamore's armour would have proved but a bad defence to his carcase; but Sir Launcelot perceiving his rival's spear unrested, had just time to throw up the point of his ohen the two horses closed with such a shock, that Syca in the saddle, was overthrown, and his ar hian to unbuckle his helmet, in which office he was assisted by the truht of the Griffin appeared in the pale livery of death, though he was only in a swoon, from which he soon recovered by the effect of the fresh air, and the aspersion of cold water, brought fronised his conqueror doing the offices of humanity about his person, he closed his eyes from vexation, told Sir Launcelot that his was the fortune of the day, though he himself owed his mischance to the fault of his own horse; and observed, that this ridiculous affair would not have happened, but for the ation of that scoundrel Dawdle, on whose ribs he threatened to revenge this ht have saved hi honourably adhered to the institutions of chivalry, in his conflict with our novice But on this occasion, his ingenuity was e He had provided at the inn a blown bladder, in which several smooth pebbles were enclosed; and this he slyly fixed on the head of his pole, when the captain obeyed the signal of battle Instead of bearing the brunt of the encounter, he turned out of the straight line, so as to avoid the lance of his antagonist, and rattled his bladder with such effect, that Crowe's horse, pricking up his ears, took to his heels, and fled across sohed land with such precipitation, that the rider was obliged to quit his spear, and lay fast hold on the ht not be thrown out of the saddle Dawdle, ashis condition, rode up to the unfortunate novice, and belaboured his shoulders without fear of retaliation
Mr Clarke, seeing his kinsot his fears, and flew to his assistance; but, before he ca that fortune had declared against his friend and patron, very honourably abandoned him in his distress, and went off at full speed for London
Nor was Timothy Crabshaithout his share in the noble achievements of this propitious day He had by this time imbibed such a tincture of errantry, that he firmly believed himself and hisupon a perverse disposition, rendered him as quarrelso As he sat on horseback, in the place assigned to hied Gilbert in such a manner, as to invade with his heels the posteriors of the other's horse; and this insult produced some altercation which ended in mutual assault The footreat dexterity about the head of Crabshaho declared afterwards, that it sung and simmered like a kettle of cod-fish; but the squire, who understood the nature of long lashes, as having been a carter fro about the neck of his antagonist, and pull hiled, at the very instant histhus obtained the victory, he did not ranted he had a right to e, resolved to carry off the spolia opiility, ”Brother,” cried he, ”I think as hars bean't a butcher's horse, a doan't carry calves well--I'sedays, I wool--what, yaw look as if yaas crow-trodden, you do --now, you shall pay the score you have been running on , he rifled his pockets, stripped him of his hat and coat, and took possession of hisenjoy his plunder For the lacquey co been despoiled, the knight com him to the severest chastisement for his injustice and rapacity Tireat vehemence, that he had won the spoils in fair battle, at the expense of his head and shoulders, which he iation But his re no effect upon his , I'se gee thee back the poke also; I' still in thy debt”
With these words, he made a most furious attack upon the plaintiff with his horsewhip, and, before the knight could interpose, repaid the lacquey with interest As an appurtenance to Sycamore and Dawdle, he ran the risk of another assault froe at the disagreeable trick which had been played upon hionist, that he could not for some time pronounce an articulate sound, but a few broken interjections, theup his pole, he ran towards the place where Mr Sycarass, supported by the trumpeter, and would have finished what our adventurer had left undone, if the knight of the Crescent, with admirable dexterity, had not warded off the blohich he ainified his displeasure in a resolute tone Then he collared the lacquey, as just disengaged fro his lance with his other hand, encountered the squire's ribs by accident
Ti the salutation with the weapon which he still wielded Mr Clarke running up to the assistance of his uncle, was opposed by the lacquey, who seee his quarrel, by falling foul of one another Clarke, thus iainst the footrappled with Crabshaw; a battle-royal ensued, and was our, and some bloodshed on all sides, until the authority of Sir Launcelot, reinforced by sohty remonstrances applied to the squire, put an end to the conflict Crabshaw irievances to Gilbert, who seemed to sympathise very little with his distress The lacquey took to his heels; Mr Clarke wiped his bloody nose, declaring he had a good ressor in the Crown-office; and Captain Crowe continued to ejaculate unconnected oaths; which, however, seemed to imply that he was almost sick of his new profession ”D--n my eyes, if you call this--start my timbers, brother--look ye, d'ye see--a lousy, lubberly, cowardly son of a--ae way--split ht vessel, d'ye see, brother--ale-- odds heart, I'll hold a whole year's--s”
Our hero consoled the novice for his disaster, by observing that if he had got some blows he had lost no honour At the same time he observed, that it was very difficult, if not impossible, for a man to succeed in the paths of chivalry, who had passed the better part of his days in other occupations, and hinted that, as the cause which had engaged hier existed, he was determined to relinquish a profession which, in a peculiar reeable incidents Crowe chewed the cud upon this insinuation, while the other personages of the draiven their riders the slip As for Mr Sycamore, he was so bruised by his fall, that it was necessary to procure a litter for conveying him to the next town, and the servant was despatched for this convenience, Sir Launcelot staying with him until it arrived
When he was safely deposited in the carriage, our hero took leave of hi to the terive you free leave to use all your advantages, in an honourable way, for pro lady of whom you profess yourself enamoured Should you have recourse to sinister practices, you will find Sir Launcelot Greaves ready to demand an account of your conduct, not in the character of a lunatic knight-errant, but as a plain English gentleman, jealous of his honour, and resolute in his purpose”
To this address Mr Sycamore e to proceed; and it ht, our hero's road to London lying in the other direction
Sir Launcelot had already exchanged his ar with his skull-cap and leathern jerkin, regained, in some respects, the appearance of a human creature Thus metamorphosed, they pursued their way in an easy pace, Mr Clarke endeavouring to a to demonstrate that Mr Sycamore was, by his behaviour on that day, liable to three different actions, besides a coht be prosecuted for having practised subtle craft to the annoyance of his uncle, over and above an action for assault and battery; because, for why? The said Crowe having run away, as iven, the said Dawdle, by pursuing hi hi battery on his body, becaressor; and an indictis
The captain's pride was so shocked at these observations, that he exclai, in Bilcuis--you lie, I say, you lubber, I did not run away; nor was I in fear, d'ye see It was my son of a bitch of a horse that would not obey the helm, d'ye see, whereby I cou'd n't use my metal, d'ye see As for the o and heave your stink-pots at ad I'll trim thee fore and aft with a--I wool” To but a little speculation, and Croas appeased
In the evening they reached the town of Bugden without any farther adventure, and passed the night in great tranquillity
Next , even after the horses were ordered to be saddled, Mr
Clarke, without cere in a female, who proved to be the identical Mrs Dolly Cowslip This young woht, cried, ”O Sir Launcelot! my dear leady,by a flood of tears, which the tender-hearted lawyer led with a plentiful shower of sy at this exclamation, ”O heavens!” cried he, ”where is my Aurelia? speak, where did you leave that jewel of my soul?
answer me in arecollected herself, told his by May Fair; that, on the second night after their arrival, a very warm expostulation had passed between Aurelia and her uncle, who nexther to take leave of her mistress, and that same day moved to another part of the town, as she afterwards learned of the landlady, though she could not inforone That, when she was turned away, John Clump, one of the footmen, who pretended to have a kindness for her, had faithfully promised to call upon her, and let her knohat passed in the family; but as he did not keep his word, and she was an utter stranger in London, without friends or settlement, she had resolved to return to her
Our knight, who had expected the s fro fears disappointed; though he was far fro satisfied with the dismission of Dolly, from whose attachment to his interest, joined to her influence over Mr Cluuide him to the haven of his desires After a minute's reflection, he saould be expedient to carry back Mrs Cowslip, and lodge her at the place where Mr Cluence; for, in all probability, it was not for want of inclination that he had not kept his promise