Having given Pipes his cue, he knocked gently at the door, which
was no sooner opened by the lacquey, than he bolted in, before the
fellow could recollect himself from the confusion occasioned by his
unexpected appearance; and, leaving Tom to guard the door, ordered
the trembling valet to light him upstairs into his lady's apartment.
The first object that presented itself to his view, when he entered
the antechamber, was a sword upon the table, which he immediately
seized, exclaiming, in a loud and menacing voice, that his
mistress was false, and then in bed with another gallant, whom he
would instantly put to death. This declaration, confirmed by many
terrible oaths, he calculated for the hearing of his rival, who,
understanding his sanguinary purpose, started up in great trepidation,
and, naked as he was, dropped from the balcony into the street,
while Peregrine thundered at the door for admittance, and, guessing
his design, gave him an opportunity of making this precipitate
retreat. Pipes, who stood sentinel at the door, observing the
fugitive descend, attacked him with his cudgel; and sweating him
from one end of the street to the other, at last committed him to
the guet by whom he was conveyed to the officer on duty in a most
disgraceful and deplorable condition.
Pages:
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432