The Select Works in 8 vol Author:Tobias George Smollett Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: C H A P. LIV. Jie mafet anotper effort to-wards the acfomflijtment of bis uiift, whicb is foilfcmed by ajlrfinge accident. HE directed his valet de chambre... more », who was a thorough paced pimp, to kindle forne ftraw in the yard, and then pafs by the door of her apartment, frymg with a loud voice that the houfe was on fire. This alarm brought both ladies out of their chambers in a moment, and Peregrine taking the advi-nnige of their running to the Itreet door, entered the room and concealed himfelf under a large table that ftood in an un- obfeived corner. The nymphs, as foon as they under- Itood the caule uf his Mercury's fuppofed affright, returned to their apartment, and having laid their prayers, undrefTed them/elves and went to bed. This fcene, which fell under the obfervation of Pickle, did not at all contribute to the cooling of his concupifcence, but on the contrary, inflamed him to fuch a degree, that he could fcarce reftrain his impauence, until by her breathing deep, h concluded the fellow lodger of his Amanda was ..deep. This welcome note no fboner came to his ears, than he crept to his charmer's bed-fide, and, placing himfelf on his knees, gently laid hojd on her white hand, and prefled it to h s lips. She had jul! he- gun to cloft her eyes, and enjoy the agreeable oppreffi- on of flumber, when fhe was uiufed by this rape, at which fhe ftarted, pronouncing in atone of furprife and difmay. " My God ! who's ihat f" The lover, with the moft infmuating humility, befought her to hear him ; vowing that his 'intention in approaching her thus, was not to violate ihe laws of decency, or that in- lfeiible efteem which fhe had engraven on his heart, but to manifeft his forrow and contrition for the umbrage he had given, to pour fortii the overflowings of his foul, and tell her tha...« less