Chapter x.
A short chapter, which concludes the book.
The long absence of the uncle and nephew had occasioned some disquietin the minds of all whom they had left behind them; and the more, as,during the preceding dialogue, the uncle had more than once elevatedhis voice, so as to be heard downstairs; which, though they could notdistinguish what he said, had caused some evil foreboding in Nancy andher mother, and, indeed, even in Jones himself.
When the good company, therefore, again assembled, there was a visiblealteration in all their faces; and the good-humour which, at theirlast meeting, universally shone forth in every countenance, was nowchanged into a much less agreeable aspect. It was a change, indeed,common enough to the weather in this climate, from sunshine to clouds,from June to December.
This alteration was not, however, greatly remarked by any present; foras they were all now endeavouring to conceal their own thoughts, andto act a part, they became all too busily engaged in the scene to bespectators of it. Thus neither the uncle nor nephew saw any symptomsof suspicion in the mother or daughter; nor did the mother or daughterremark the overacted complacence of the old man, nor the counterfeitsatisfaction which grinned in the features of the young one.
Something like this, I believe, frequently happens, where the wholeattention of two friends being engaged in the part which each is toact, in order to impose on the other, neither sees nor suspects thearts practised against himself; and thus the thrust of both (to borrowno improper metaphor on the occasion) alike takes place.
From the same reason it is no unusual thing for both parties to beoverreached in a bargain, though the one must be always the greaterloser; as was he who sold a blind horse, and received a bad note inpayment.
Our company in about half an hour broke up, and the uncle carried offhis nephew; but not before the latter had assured Miss Nancy, in awhisper, that he would attend her early in the morning, and fulfil allhis engagements.
Jones, who was the least concerned in this scene, saw the most. He didindeed suspect the very fact; for, besides observing the greatalteration in the behaviour of the uncle, the distance he assumed, andhis overstrained civility to Miss Nancy; the carrying off a bridegroomfrom his bride at that time of night was so extraordinary a proceedingthat it could be accounted for only by imagining that youngNightingale had revealed the whole truth, which the apparent opennessof his temper, and his being flustered with liquor, made too probable.
While he was reasoning with himself, whether he should acquaint thesepoor people with his suspicion, the maid of the house informed himthat a gentlewoman desired to speak with him.----He went immediatelyout, and, taking the candle from the maid, ushered his visitantupstairs, who, in the person of Mrs Honour, acquainted him with suchdreadful news concerning his Sophia, that he immediately lost allconsideration for every other person; and his whole stock ofcompassion was entirely swallowed up in reflections on his own misery,and on that of his unfortunate angel.
What this dreadful matter was, the reader will be informed, after wehave first related the many preceding steps which produced it, andthose will be the subject of the following book.
BOOK XV.
IN WHICH THE HISTORY ADVANCES ABOUT TWO DAYS.