Though this treaty was concluded at the instances of Peregrine and his governor, it was impossible that a lasting friendship could subsist between the two parties, because they entertained for each other the most perfect contempt, which, in the course of their communication, could not fail to minister daily food for animosity and aversion.
Our adventurer’s next care was to exercise all his diligence and invention to find his lost Amanda, who, now that he was detached from Mrs. Hornbeck, resumed the full possession of his thoughts. As she would never tell him her own name, or that of her mother, his inquiries were directed by a personal description only; and that, in such a populous city as Brussels, could tend but very little to his satisfaction. He not only ordered his valet de chambre to exert his whole address, in order to discover the place of her abode, but this dexterous minister, who was very well acquainted in that city, retained half a dozen of noted pimps for the same purpose, who were directed to employ their researches for a very handsome young lady, of the middle stature, with fine black eyes, and teeth as white as snow, a native of Brussels, though married to a French gentleman, and lately arrived from her husband’s house on a visit to her mother, who was dangerously ill.
Thus instructed, they put themselves in motion, while the lover in person frequented the court, the opera, the churches, public walks, and every place where he thought there was the least probability of seeing her. The description his Mercury had given to the understrappers of gallantry, in a good measure suited several ladies in town, whom Peregrine found means to see, in consequence of the reports he had received; but he could not recognize his dear fellow-traveller among the number. At last one of his terriers gave the valet de chambre to understand, that at the grate of a certain nunnery, he had observed a beautiful young creature, who resembled the picture he had drawn, and that upon inquiry, he found she had not taken the veil; but her mother being lately dead, had entered as a pensionaire,1 until her family-affairs could be adjusted.
This piece of intelligence was no sooner communicated to our hero, than he flew in the utmost impatience to the nunnery, and, without allowing himself to believe that this boarder could be any other than the object of his pursuit, desired the portress to tell the young lady who was lately admitted, that one of her relations begg’d to speak with her at the grate. He had not waited five minutes, when this nymph appeared; and though he found his expectation disappointed, he was so struck with the charms of this new figure, that his heart throbbed when she approached; and after he had asked pardon for the liberty he had taken, and explained the nature of his mistake, he could not help telling her, that he thought himself fortunate in the misinformation he had received, since it was attended with the pleasure of seeing such an amiable young lady. To this compliment she replied with great spirit and good humour, that encouraged the youth to continue the conversation, during which he professed himself her admirer; and when, for the sake of decorum, he was obliged to take his leave, earnestly begg’d he might be allow’d to repeat his visit: and having obtained this permission, and the knowledge of her name, returned to his lodgings in full confidence of bringing this intrigue to a prosperous issue.
Nor had the young gentleman in this case over-rated his own success: the lady happened to be of a very amorous complexion, and her passions being inflamed rather than mortified, by the restraint in which she lived, she was captivated by the person of Peregrine, and his insinuating address had confirmed his conquest. He did not fail to be at the grate next day, where he urged his suit with such irresistible recommendations, that she confessed a mutual flame, after having observed, that the circumstances of her situation would not permit her to protract that acknowledgment in the usual form. He received this confession with transport, as the effusion of an ingenuous mind, that soars above all the little arts and disguises of the sex; and intreated her to tell him when or where he should have the happiness of conversing with her, without the interposition of these invidious bars.
She gave him to understand, that as her friends had put her under the direction of a severe abbess, it would be impossible for her to go abroad without the connivance of the portress, and equally impracticable for him to gain admittance into the convent, without running a manifest risk of being discovered, and consequently punished with the utmost severity.
When a fair lady was in the case, our adventurer despised all danger, and spared no expence. Thus informed, he studied the disposition of the old sister who kept the keys; and in her appearance and conversation, distinguished the implacable rancour of a woman who had spent her youth in all the mortification of detested celibacy. She bore a most inveterate grudge to all her juniors, who still remained within the possibility of enjoying those pleasures from which she was eternally cut off, and observed all the young men who appeared at the grate with the most envious suspicion. Not even the power of all-persuading gold could tame the spite, or soften the vigilant asperity of this indomitable maiden.
Our lover tampered with her in vain; nay, she threatened to inform the abbess of his sacrilegious attempt, that he might, for the future, be excluded from the privilege of speaking to the nuns: and, for the first time, he found the art of corruption ineffectual. Baffled in this endeavour, he conferred with his mistress about some other means of procuring an unrestricted interview; and she, in the fertility of her invention, proposed, that he should make it his business to find some woman, who, by her acquaintance in the convent, would introduce him in a female dress, as a stranger desirous of seeing the œ conomy of the house. The expedient was wonderfully relished by the gallant, who had immediate recourse to the assistance of his valet de chambre, by whom he was next day made acquainted with a certain good-natured gentlewoman, who, for an handsome consideration, undertook the task. From this good lady’s wardrobe he was accordingly accommodated with a proper suit, which, on account of his stature, was pieced for the purpose: and his mistress being previously prepared with the knowledge of their intention, he set out in the afternoon with his conductress, who had interest enough to obtain his admission, on pretence of his being an English lady, just arrived from her own country, and curious to see the menage and accommodations of a nunnery.2 Though the alteration of his dress, and a pair of artificial eye-brows, screened him from the penetrating eye of the portress, there was something so remarkably singular in his make, stature, countenance and mien, that the sisters gazed upon him as a prodigy; and he could hear them, as he passed, asking of each other, with expressions of astonishment, if all the women in England made such a strange appearance.
Having visited the cells and chapel, his charmer officiously offered her service in conducting the stranger to the garden; and after having attended them in walking several turns, invited them to repose in a small arbour, that stood at one corner, in the middle of a tuft of trees, which rendered it impervious to the view. The old gentlewoman understanding the hint, accompanied the lovers to the entrance of this grove, where she left them, on pretence of being still unwearied with the exercise of her legs; and their mutual raptures in this stolen interview began to rise to a very interesting pitch, when they were alarmed by the rustling of the leaves behind them; and turning their eyes towards the place, perceived they were discovered by a nun, who, either by accident or design, had concealed herself in the thicket, until, scandalized by their behaviour, she thought it high time to signify her presence.
It is not to be doubted that our hero and his mistress were grievously disconcerted on this occasion. The lady cried she was undone, and had almost fainted with fear, which was not at all without foundation, considering that not only her reputation, but even her life was at stake. Peregrine, though he could easily have made his escape over the garden-wall, had too much gallantry to leave his charmer and friend in such a dangerous dilemma; and therefore, with admirable presence of mind, advanced to the author of his perplexity, and without any ceremony or courtship, found means to make her a party in the secret, before she could recollect herself so far as to find fault with his proceeding.
This measure re-established the tranquillity of the scene: the two ladies embraced as sisters, and vowed eternal friendship on the spot; and the young gentleman having protested that he would share his affection between them, and practise the same method of visiting them in a few days, rejoined his directress, and returned in safety to his own lodgings, being but indifferently satisfied with the adventure of the day, by which he found himself obliged, either to forego all correspondence with the woman he loved, or carry on an intrigue with a person who was not at all to his liking; for the attractions of the nun were by no means inchanting.
He next day appeared at the grate in his own person, and intimated his sentiments on this subject to his mistress, who assured him, that notwithstanding her behaviour to the sister, in the emergency of yesterday, she would much rather be debarred of his company for ever, than enjoy it upon the terms which necessity had obliged him to propose. She said, the reflection on what had passed in the grove, had inspired her with such an unconquerable aversion for that accidental rival, that she could not think of her without hate and indignation. She wished she had run all risks, rather than submit to such detested partition; and vowed with great warmth, that let the consequence be what it would, she was determined to discover the whole affair to the abbess, if ever he should introduce himself again, in a manner which must subject him to the knowledge and claim of her competitor.
He applauded the delicacy of her sentiments, which he swore were exactly conformable to his own; and promised to desist from those visits that gave her umbrage, encouraging her to hope, that they would find some other means of settling an intercourse, in which she should ingross his undivided attention. Such a scheme was actually the subject of his thoughts at that time; and a youth of his fruitful imagination, assisted with the counsels of such a consummate politician as the valet de chambre, would undoubtedly have brought it to maturation, had not his aim been anticipated by an unforeseen accident, that flowed from the partial administration of his favour. The nun who had been indebted to chance for his addresses, was too conscious of her own inferior qualifications, to think she could dispute the heart of our hero with the young lady who was previously possessed of his affection; she knew, that her share of his good graces was altogether casual, and that the continuance of his assiduities must be the effect of policy and constrained complaisance; yet, even on these considerations, they were too agreeable to be given up; and therefore she resolved to guard her privilege with the most minute vigilance and caution. Jealousy was the natural consequence of these suggestions: the assignation in the garden, she knew, must have been preceded by some communication; and as there was no other opportunity of conversing with the male sex, except that of holding a conference through the grate, she went to the portress, with a view of obtaining some intelligence; and pumped the beldame so successfully, that she learnt how her rival had that very forenoon been favoured with a visit by a young gentleman, whom she supposed to be no other than their common gallant. Inflamed with this information, she taxed the young lady with double dealing; and scolded with such bitterness, that the other, already prejudiced against her pretensions, could no longer contain her resentment, which she uttered in contemptuous sneers against her personal attributes; and in the pride of her wrath declared, that she ought not to expect another interview with her lover in the grove; for he was already too much satiated with her charms to return to such a banquet, and had relinquished her to the chance of meeting with another charitable meal.
No tygress robbed of her young was ever exalted to an higher pitch of fury than this nun, when she found herself abandoned by her lover, and insulted in this mortifying explanation. She darted upon her antagonist, like a hawk upon a partridge, and with her nails disfigured that fair face which had defrauded her of her dearest expectation. Nor did the rival tamely bear the barbarity of her rage; what she wanted in strength she supplied with spirit, and twisting her hand in the hair of the aggressor, pulled her head with violence to the ground. The noise of this contention, increased by the cries of the combatants, whose tongues were more active than their hands, brought a croud of sisters to the spot; but so fiercely were they engaged, that they neither minded admonitions nor threats, nor paid the least regard to their own reputation; but on the contrary, as if they had not known that they were surrounded by numbers, who heard every word that proceeded from their mouths, they made no secret of the cause of their dispute, which, in the precipitancy of their wrath, they divulged with all its circumstances, to the amazement of the by-standers.
At length the lady abbess arrived, and what her authority could not accomplish, was effected by two lay-sisters, who being summoned for the purpose, separated the rivals, who were by this time quite exhausted with the fatigue of the battle. Had this mutual detection been made in any company of females, the secret would have hardly rested among those who heard it, much less in a convent, where so many old maidens happened to be present. One of these antiquated devotees accordingly imparted it to the superior, who having examined into the particulars, and found the information true, from the rash recrimination of the incensed parties on their trial, considered the affair as a very serious matter, which affected the good order and reputation of her convent, assembled all the sisters, and exhorted them to suppress the discovery, as a circumstance injurious to the character of the house; laid strict injunctions on the portress, to be very cautious for the future in the discharge of her office, delivered over the back-sliding nun to a severe penance prescribed by her ghostly father, and that very day sent her boarder back to her relations, with a hint of what had happened, and an advice to dispose of her in some remote nunnery, where she would be less exposed to the machinations of her gallant.
Our lover, utterly ignorant of this unlucky fray and its consequence, was confounded when the wrinkled turnkey refused to admit him to the grate, telling him, that his impious contrivance had come to light; that the lewd young woman, for whose sake he had been guilty of such a flagrant crime, was banished from the convent; and that if ever he should make another attempt to disturb the tranquillity of their retreat, a formal complaint would be preferred against him to the civil magistrate.
Thunderstruck with this reception, he did not think proper to advance any thing in his own vindication, but retreated with all convenient dispatch, not ill pleased at the issue of an adventure which might have proved not only disagreeable, but dangerous in the highest degree. He at once conjectured, that the mutual jealousy of the ladies had betrayed the intrigue; and imagined, that now his charmer was delivered from the restrictions of a convent, she would be more accessible to his endeavours. On this supposition, he sent his couriers upon the scout; and as he knew her name, it was not long before he learnt, from their artful inquiries, that immediately after her dismission from one nunnery, she had been entered in another at Ghent, in consequence of the superior’s advice, and in all likelihood would be compelled to take the veil by her guardians, who were remarkably zealous for the welfare of her soul.