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 11
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 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 inquiry
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,
and I beg leave to acquaint him with it by my own words. Let me
beseech you, sir," added he, "to reflect on the dreadful
consequences of driving him to violent and sudden despair. How
unfit, alas! is this poor man to die in his present situation." This
suggestion had not the least effect on Mrs. Miller. She left the room,
crying, "You are too good, Mr. Jones, infinitely too good to live in
this world." But it made a deeper impression on Allworthy. "My good
child," said he, "I am equally astonished at the goodness of your
heart, and the quickness of your understanding. Heaven indeed forbid
that this wretch should be deprived of any means or time for
repentance! That would be a shocking consideration indeed. Go to
him, therefore, and use your own discretion; yet do not flatter him
with any hopes of my forgiveness; for I shall never forgive villany
farther than my religion obliges me, and that extends not either to
our bounty or our conversation."
Jones went up to Blifil's room, whom he found in a situation which
moved his pity, though it would have raised a less amiable passion
in many beholders. He had cast himself on his bed, where he lay
abandoning himself to despair, and drowned in tears; not in such tears
as flow from contrition, and wash away guilt from minds which have
been seduced or surprized into it unawares against the bent of their
natural dispositions, as will sometimes happen from human frailty,
even to the good; no, these tears were such as the frighted thief
sheds in his cart, and are indeed the effects of that concern which
the most savage natures are seldom deficient in feeling for
themselves.
It would be unpleasant and tedious to paint this scene in full
length. Let it suffice to say, that the behaviour of Jones was kind to
excess. He omitted nothing which his invention could supply, to
raise and comfort the drooping spirits of Blifil, before he
communicated to him the resolution of his uncle that he must quit
the house that evening. He offered to furnish him with any money he
wanted, assured him of his hearty forgiveness of all he had done
against him, that he would endeavour to live with him hereafter as a
brother, and would leave nothing unattempted to effectuate a
reconciliation with his uncle.
Blifil was at first sullen and silent, balancing in his mind whether
he should yet deny all; but, finding at last the evidence too strong
against him, he betook himself at last to confession. He then asked
pardon of his brother in the most vehement manner, prostrated
himself on the ground, and kissed his feet; in short, he was now as
remarkably mean as he had been before remarkably wicked.
Jones could not so far check his disdain, but that it a little
discovered itself in his countenance at this extreme servility. He
raised his brother the moment he could from the ground, and advised
him to bear his afflictions more like a man; repeating, at the same
time, his promises, that he would do all in his power to lessen
them; for which Blifil, making many professions of his unworthiness,
poured forth a profusion of thanks; and then, he having declared he
would immediately depart to another lodging, Jones returned to his
uncle.
Among other matters, Allworthy now acquainted Jones with the
discovery which he had made concerning the L500 banknotes. "I have,"
said he, "already consulted a lawyer, who tells me, to my great
astonishment, that there is no punishment for a fraud of this kind.
Indeed, when I consider the black ingratitude of this fellow toward
you, I think a highwayman, compared to him, is an innocent person."
"Good Heaven!" says Jones, is it possible?- I am shocked beyond
measure at this news. I thought there was not an honester fellow in
the world.-- The temptation of such a sum was too great for him to
withstand; for smaller matters have come safe to me through his
hand. Indeed, my dear uncle, you must suffer me to call it weakness
rather than ingratitude; for I am convinced the poor fellow loves
me, and hath done me some kindnesses, which I can never forget; nay, I
believe he hath repented of this very act; for it is not above a day
or two ago, when my affairs seemed in the most desperate situation,
that he visited me in my confinement, and offered me any money I
