His lordship
never doubted that Pickle had brought this calamity upon himself
by some unlucky prank he had played at the masquerade; when
he understood that the young gentleman had drunk freely in the
afternoon, and been so whimsical as to go thither with a man in
woman's apparel; and he that same day waited on the French minister,
in full confidence of obtaining his discharge; but met with more
difficulty than he expected, the court of France being extremely
punctilious in everything that concerns a prince of the blood: the
ambassador was therefore obliged to talk in very high terms; and,
though the present circumstances of the French politics would not
allow them to fall out with the British administration for trifles,
all the favour he could procure was to promise that Pickle should
L set at liberty, provided he would ask pardon of the prince to
whom he bad given offence.
His excellency thought this was but a reasonable condescension,
supposing Peregrine to have been in the wrong; and Jolter was
admitted to him in order to communicate and reinforce his lordship's
advice, which was, that he comply with the terms proposed.
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