ed to the most ridiculous expression of grief and dismay.

Seeing Peregrine come in, he started up in a sort of frantic ecstasy,
and, running towards him with open arms, no sooner perceived the woeful
appearance into which our hero had modelled his physiognomy, than he
stopped short all of a sudden, and the joy which had begun to take
possession of his heart was in a moment dispelled by the most rueful
presages; so that he stood in a most ludicrous posture of dejection,
like a malefactor at the Old Bailey, when sentence is about to be
pronounced. Pickle, taking him by the hand, heaved a profound sigh; and
after having protested that he was extremely mortified at being pitched
upon as the messenger of bad news, told him, with an air of sympathy and
infinite concern, that the French court, having discovered his sex, had
resolved, in consideration of the outrageous indignity he offered
in public to a prince of the blood, to detain him in the Bastille a
prisoner for life; and that this sentence was a mitigation obtained by
the importunities of the British ambassador, the punishment ordained by
law being no other than breaking alive upon the wheel.

These tidings aggravated the horrors of the painter to such a degree
that he roared aloud, and skipped about the room in all the extravagance
of distraction, taking God and man to witness, that he would rather
suffer immediate death than endure one year's imprisonment in such a
hideous place; and cursing the hour of his birth, and the moment on
which he departed from his own country. "For my own part," said his
tormentor, in a hypocritical tone, "I was obliged to swallow the bitter
pill of making submission to the prince, who, as I had not presumed to
strike him, received acknowledgments, in consequence of which I shall
be this day set at liberty; and there is even one expedient left for the
recovery of your freedom--it is, I own, a disagreeable remedy, but one
had better undergo a little mortification than be for ever wretched.
Besides, upon second thoughts, I begin to imagine that you will not for
such a trifle sacrifice yourself to the unceasing horrors of a dungeon;
especially as your condescension will in all probability be attended
with advantages which you could not otherwise enjoy." Pallet,
interrupting him with great eagerness, begged for the love of God that
he would no longer keep him in the torture of suspense, but mention
that same remedy, which he was resolved to fo