History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
explained all matters to her, as they were told to me by my son
Nightingale. She can have no longer any doubt about the letter; of
that I am certain; for I told her my son Nightingale was ready to take
his oath, if she pleased, that it was all his own invention, and the
letter of his inditing. I told her the very reason of sending the
letter ought to recommend you to her the more, as it was all upon her
account, and a plain proof that you was resolved to quit all your
profligacy for the future; that you had never been guilty of a single
instance of infidelity to her since your seeing her in town: I am
afraid I went too far there; but Heaven forgive me! I hope your future
behaviour will be my justification. I am sure I have said all I can;
but all to no purpose. She remains inflexible. She says, she had
forgiven many faults on account of youth; but expressed such
detestation of the character of a libertine, that she absolutely
silenced me. I often attempted to excuse you; but the justness of her
accusation flew in my face. Upon my honour, she is a lovely woman, and
one of the sweetest and most sensible creatures I ever saw. I could
have almost kissed her for one expression she made use of. It was a
sentiment worthy of Seneca, or of a bishop. `I once fancied madam.'
and she, `I had discovered great goodness of heart in Mr Jones; and
for that I own I had a sincere esteem; but an entire profligacy of
manners will corrupt the best heart in the world; and all which a
good-natured libertine can expect is, that we should mix some grains
of pity with our contempt and abhorrence.' She is an angelic creature,
that is the truth on't.” “O, Mrs Miller!” answered Jones, “can I bear
to think that I have lost such an angel?” “Lost! no,” cries Mrs
Miller; “I hope you have not lost her yet. Resolve to leave such
vicious courses, and you may yet have hopes, nay, if she would remain
inexorable, there is another young lady, a sweet pretty young lady,
and a swinging fortune, who is absolutely dying for love of you. I
heard of it this very morning, and I told it to Miss Western; nay, I
went a little beyond the truth again; for I told her you had refused
her; but indeed I knew you would refuse her. And here I must give you
a little comfort; when I mentioned the young lady's name, who is no
other than the pretty widow Hunt, I thought she turned pale; but when
I said you had refused her, I will be sworn her face was all over
scarlet in an instant; and these were her very words: `I will not deny
but that I believe he has some affection for me.'”
Here the conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Western, who
could no longer be kept out of the room even by the authority of
Allworthy himself; though this, as we have often seen, had a wonderful
power over him.
Western immediately went up to Jones, crying out, “My old friend Tom,
I am glad to see thee with all my heart! all past must be forgotten; I
could not intend any affront to thee, because, as Allworthy here
knows, nay, dost know it thyself, I took thee for another person; and
where a body means no harm, what signifies a hasty word or two? One
Christian must forget and forgive another.” “I hope, sir,” said Jones,
“I shall never forget the many obligations I have had to you; but as
for any offence towards me, I declare I am an utter stranger.” “A't,”
says Western, “then give me thy fist; a't as hearty an honest cock as
any in the kingdom. Come along with me; I'll carry thee to thy
mistress this moment.” Here Allworthy interposed; and the squire being
unable to prevail either with the uncle or nephew, was, after some
litigation, obliged to consent to delay introducing Jones to Sophia
till the afternoon; at which time Allworthy, as well in compassion to
Jones as in compliance with the eager desires of Western, was
prevailed upon to promise to attend at the tea-table.
The conversation which now ensued was pleasant enough; and with which,
had it happened earlier in our history, we would have entertained our
reader; but as we have now leisure only to attend to what is very
material, it shall suffice to say that matters being entirely adjusted
as to the afternoon visit Mr Western again returned home.
Chapter xi.
The history draws nearer to a conclusion.
When Mr Western was departed, Jones began to inform Mr Allworthy and
Mrs Miller that his liberty had been procured by two noble lords, who,
together with two surgeons and a friend of Mr Nightingale's, had
attended the magistrate by whom he had been committed, and by whom, on
the surgeons' oaths, that the wounded person was out of all manner of
danger from his wound, he was discharged.
One only of these lords, he said, he had ever seen before, and that no
more than once; but the other had greatly surprized him by asking his
pardon for an offence he had been guilty of towards him, occasioned,
he said, entirely by his ignorance who he was.
Now the reality of the case, with which Jones was not acquainted till
afterwards, was this:--The lieutenant whom Lord Fellamar had employed,
according to the advice of Lady Bellaston, to press Jones as a
vagabond into the sea-service, when he came to report to his lordship
the event which we have before seen, spoke very favourably of the
behaviour of Mr Jones on all accounts, and strongly assured that lord
that he must have mistaken the person, for that Jones was certainly a
gentleman; insomuch that his lordship, who was strictly a man of
honour, and would by no means have been guilty of an action which the
world in general would have condemned, began to be much concerned for
the advice which he had taken.
Within a day or two after this, Lord Fellamar happened to dine with
the Irish peer, who, in a conversation upon the duel, acquainted his
company with the character of Fitzpatrick; to which, indeed, he did
not do strict justice, especially in what related to his lady. He said
she was the most innocent, the most injured woman alive, and that from
compassion alone he had undertaken her cause. He then declared an
intention of going the next morning to Fitzpatrick's lodgings, in
order to prevail with him, if possible, to consent to a separation
from his wife, who, the peer said, was in apprehensions for her life,
if she should ever return to be under the power of her husband. Lord
Fellamar agreed to go with him, that he might satisfy himself more
concerning Jones and the circumstances of the duel; for he was by no
means easy concerning the part he had acted. The moment his lordship
gave a hint of his readiness to assist in the delivery of the lady, it
was eagerly embraced by the other nobleman, who depended much on the
authority of Lord Fellamar, as he thought it would greatly contribute
to awe Fitzpatrick into a compliance; and perhaps he was in the right;
for the poor Irishman no sooner saw these noble peers had undertaken
the cause of his wife than he submitted, and articles of separation
were soon drawn up and signed between the parties.
Fitzpatrick, who had been so well satisfied by Mrs Waters concerning
the innocence of his wife with Jones at Upton, or perhaps, from some
other reasons, was now become so indifferent to that matter, that he
spoke highly in favour of Jones to Lord Fellamar, took all the blame
upon himself, and said the other had behaved very much like a
gentleman and a man of honour; and upon that lord's further enquiry
concerning Mr Jones, Fitzpatrick told him he was nephew to a gentleman
of very great fashion and fortune, which was the account he had just
received from Mrs Waters after her interview with Dowling.
Lord Fellamar now thought it behoved him to do everything in his power
to make satisfaction to a gentleman whom he had so grossly injured,
and without any consideration of rivalship (for he had now given over
all thoughts of Sophia), determined to procure Mr Jones's liberty,
being satisfied, as well from Fitzpatrick as his surgeon, that the
wound was not mortal. He therefore prevailed with the Irish peer to
accompany him to the place where Jones was confined, to whom he
behaved as we have already related.
When Allworthy returned to his lodgings, he immediately carried Jones
into his room, and then acquainted him with the whole matter, as well
what he had heard from Mrs Waters as what he had discovered from Mr
Dowling.
Jones expressed great astonishment and no less concern at this
account, but without making any comment or observation upon it. And
now a message was brought from Mr Blifil, desiring to know if his
uncle was at leisure that he might wait upon him. Allworthy started
and turned pale, and then in a more passionate tone than I believe he
had ever used before, bid the servant tell Blifil he knew him not.
“Consider, dear sir,” cries Jones, in a trembling voice. “I have
considered,” answered Allworthy, “and you yourself shall carry my
message to the villain. No one can carry him the sentence of his own
ruin so properly as the man whose ruin he hath so villanously
contrived.” “Pardon me, dear sir,” said Jones; “a moment's reflection
will, I am sure, convince you of the contrary. What might perhaps be
but justice from another tongue, would from mine be insult; and to
whom?--my own brother and your nephew. Nor did he use me so
barbarously--indeed, that would have been more inexcusable than
anything he hath done. Fortune may tempt men of no very bad
dispositions to injustice; but insults proceed only from black and
rancorous minds, and have no temptations to excuse them. Let me
beseech you, sir, to do nothing by him in the present height of your
anger. Consider, my dear uncle, I was not myself condemned unheard.”
Allworthy stood silent a moment, and then, embracing Jones, he said,
with tears gushing from his eyes, “O my child! to what goodness have I
been so long blind!”
Mrs Miller entering the room at that moment, after a gentle rap which
was not perceived, and seeing Jones in the arms of his uncle, the poor
woman in an agony of joy fell upon her knees, and burst forth into the
most ecstatic thanksgivings to heaven for what had happened; then,
running to Jones, she embraced him eagerly, crying, “My dearest
friend, I wish you joy a thousand and a thousand times of this blest
day.” And next Mr Allworthy himself received the same congratulations.
To which he answered, “Indeed, indeed, Mrs Miller, I am beyond
expression happy.” Some few more raptures having passed on all sides,
Mrs Miller desired them both to walk down to dinner in the parlour,
where she said there were a very happy set of people assembled--being
indeed no other than Mr Nightingale and his bride, and his cousin
Harriet with her bridegroom.
Allworthy excused himself from dining with the company, saying he had
ordered some little thing for him and his nephew in his own apartment,
for that they had much private business to discourse of; but would not
resist promising the good woman that both he and Jones would make part
of her society at supper.
Mrs Miller then asked what was to be done with Blifil? “for indeed,”
says she, “I cannot be easy while such a villain is in my
house.”--Allworthy answered, “He was as uneasy as herself on the same
account.” “Oh!” cries she, “if that be the case, leave the matter to
me, I'll soon show him the outside out of my doors, I warrant you.
Here are two or three lusty fellows below-stairs.” “There will be no
need of any violence,” cries Allworthy; “if you will carry him a
message from me, he will, I am convinced, depart of his own accord.”
“Will I?” said Mrs Miller; “I never did anything in my life with a
better will.” Here Jones interfered, and said, “He had considered the
matter better, and would, if Mr Allworthy pleased, be himself the
messenger. I know,” says he, “already enough of your pleasure, sir,