Chapter v.
In which the history is continued.
Mr Allworthy, in his last speech, had recollected some tender ideasconcerning Jones, which had brought tears into the good man's eyes.This Mrs Miller observing, said, "Yes, yes, sir, your goodness to thispoor young man is known, notwithstanding all your care to conceal it;but there is not a single syllable of truth in what those villainssaid. Mr Nightingale hath now discovered the whole matter. It seemsthese fellows were employed by a lord, who is a rival of poor MrJones, to have pressed him on board a ship.--I assure them I don'tknow who they will press next. Mr Nightingale here hath seen theofficer himself, who is a very pretty gentleman, and hath told himall, and is very sorry for what he undertook, which he would neverhave done, had he known Mr Jones to have been a gentleman; but he wastold that he was a common strolling vagabond."
Allworthy stared at all this, and declared he was a stranger to everyword she said. "Yes, sir," answered she, "I believe you are.----It isa very different story, I believe, from what those fellows told thislawyer."
"What lawyer, madam? what is it you mean?" said Allworthy. "Nay, nay,"said she, "this is so like you to deny your own goodness: but MrNightingale here saw him." "Saw whom, madam?" answered he. "Why, yourlawyer, sir," said she, "that you so kindly sent to enquire into theaffair." "I am still in the dark, upon my honour," said Allworthy."Why then do you tell him, my dear sir," cries she. "Indeed, sir,"said Nightingale, "I did see that very lawyer who went from you when Icame into the room, at an alehouse in Aldersgate, in company with twoof the fellows who were employed by Lord Fellamar to press Mr Jones,and who were by that means present at the unhappy rencounter betweenhim and Mr Fitzpatrick." "I own, sir," said Mrs Miller, "when I sawthis gentleman come into the room to you, I told Mr Nightingale that Iapprehended you had sent him thither to inquire into the affair."Allworthy shewed marks of astonishment in his countenance at thisnews, and was indeed for two or three minutes struck dumb by it. Atlast, addressing himself to Mr Nightingale, he said, "I must confessmyself, sir, more surprized at what you tell me than I have ever beenbefore at anything in my whole life. Are you certain this was thegentleman?" "I am most certain," answered Nightingale. "AtAldersgate?" cries Allworthy. "And was you in company with this lawyerand the two fellows?"--"I was, sir," said the other, "very near halfan hour." "Well, sir," said Allworthy, "and in what manner did thelawyer behave? did you hear all that past between him and thefellows?" "No, sir," answered Nightingale, "they had been togetherbefore I came.--In my presence the lawyer said little; but, after Ihad several times examined the fellows, who persisted in a storydirectly contrary to what I had heard from Mr Jones, and which I findby Mr Fitzpatrick was a rank falshood, the lawyer then desired thefellows to say nothing but what was the truth, and seemed to speak somuch in favour of Mr Jones, that, when I saw the same person with you,I concluded your goodness had prompted you to send him thither."--"Anddid you not send him thither?" says Mrs Miller.--"Indeed I did not,"answered Allworthy; "nor did I know he had gone on such an errand tillthis moment."--"I see it all!" said Mrs Miller, "upon my soul, I seeit all! No wonder they have been closeted so close lately. SonNightingale, let me beg you run for these fellows immediately----findthem out if they are above-ground. I will go myself"--"Dear madam,"said Allworthy, "be patient, and do me the favour to send a servantupstairs to call Mr Dowling hither, if he be in the house, or, if not,Mr Blifil." Mrs Miller went out muttering something to herself, andpresently returned with an answer, "That Mr Dowling was gone; but thatthe t'other," as she called him, "was coming."
Allworthy was of a cooler disposition than the good woman, whosespirits were all up in arms in the cause of her friend. He was nothowever without some suspicions which were near akin to hers. WhenBlifil came into the room, he asked him with a very seriouscountenance, and with a less friendly look than he had ever beforegiven him, "Whether he knew anything of Mr Dowling's having seen anyof the persons who were present at the duel between Jones and anothergentleman?"
There is nothing so dangerous as a question which comes by surprize ona man whose business it is to conceal truth, or to defend falshood.For which reason those worthy personages, whose noble office it is tosave the lives of their fellow-creatures at the Old Bailey, take theutmost care, by frequent previous examination, to divine everyquestion which may be asked their clients on the day of tryal, thatthey may be supplyed with proper and ready answers, which the mostfertile invention cannot supply in an instant. Besides, the sudden andviolent impulse on the blood, occasioned by these surprizes, causesfrequently such an alteration in the countenance, that the man isobliged to give evidence against himself. And such indeed were thealterations which the countenance of Blifil underwent from this suddenquestion, that we can scarce blame the eagerness of Mrs Miller, whoimmediately cryed out, "Guilty, upon my honour! guilty, upon my soul!"
Mr Allworthy sharply rebuked her for this impetuosity; and thenturning to Blifil, who seemed sinking into the earth, he said, "Why doyou hesitate, sir, at giving me an answer? You certainly must haveemployed him; for he would not, of his own accord, I believe, haveundertaken such an errand, and especially without acquainting me."
Blifil then answered, "I own, sir, I have been guilty of an offence,yet may I hope your pardon?"--"My pardon," said Allworthy, veryangrily.--"Nay, sir," answered Blifil, "I knew you would be offended;yet surely my dear uncle will forgive the effects of the most amiableof human weaknesses. Compassion for those who do not deserve it, I ownis a crime; and yet it is a crime from which you yourself are notentirely free. I know I have been guilty of it in more than oneinstance to this very person; and I will own I did send Mr Dowling,not on a vain and fruitless enquiry, but to discover the witnesses,and to endeavour to soften their evidence. This, sir, is the truth;which, though I intended to conceal from you, I will not deny."
"I confess," said Nightingale, "this is the light in which it appearedto me from the gentleman's behaviour."
"Now, madam," said Allworthy, "I believe you will once in your lifeown you have entertained a wrong suspicion, and are not so angry withmy nephew as you was."
Mrs Miller was silent; for, though she could not so hastily be pleasedwith Blifil, whom she looked upon to have been the ruin of Jones, yetin this particular instance he had imposed upon her as well as uponthe rest; so entirely had the devil stood his friend. And, indeed, Ilook upon the vulgar observation, "That the devil often deserts hisfriends, and leaves them in the lurch," to be a great abuse on thatgentleman's character. Perhaps he may sometimes desert those who areonly his cup acquaintance; or who, at most, are but half his; but hegenerally stands by those who are thoroughly his servants, and helpsthem off in all extremities, till their bargain expires.
As a conquered rebellion strengthens a government, or as health ismore perfectly established by recovery from some diseases; so anger,when removed, often gives new life to affection. This was the case ofMr Allworthy; for Blifil having wiped off the greater suspicion, thelesser, which had been raised by Square's letter, sunk of course, andwas forgotten; and Thwackum, with whom he was greatly offended, borealone all the reflections which Square had cast on the enemies ofJones.
As for that young man, the resentment of Mr Allworthy began more andmore to abate towards him. He told Blifil, "He did not only forgivethe extraordinary efforts of his good-nature, but would give him thepleasure of following his example." Then, turning to Mrs Miller with asmile which would have become an angel, he cryed, "What say you,madam? shall we take a hackney-coach, and all of us together pay avisit to your friend? I promise you it is not the first visit I havemade in a prison."
Every reader, I believe, will be able to answer for the worthy woman;but they must have a great deal of good-nature, and be well acquaintedwith friendship, who can feel what she felt on this occasion. Few, Ihope, are capable of feeling what now passed in the mind of Blifil;but those who are will acknowledge that it was impossible for him toraise any objection to this visit. Fortune, however, or the gentlemanlatel
y mentioned above, stood his friend, and prevented his undergoingso great a shock; for at the very instant when the coach was sent for,Partridge arrived, and, having called Mrs Miller from the company,acquainted her with the dreadful accident lately come to light; andhearing Mr Allworthy's intention, begged her to find some means ofstopping him: "For," says he, "the matter must at all hazards be kepta secret from him; and if he should now go, he will find Mr Jones andhis mother, who arrived just as I left him, lamenting over one anotherthe horrid crime they have ignorantly committed."
The poor woman, who was almost deprived of her senses at his dreadfulnews, was never less capable of invention than at present. However, aswomen are much readier at this than men, she bethought herself of anexcuse, and, returning to Allworthy, said, "I am sure, sir, you willbe surprized at hearing any objection from me to the kind proposal youjust now made; and yet I am afraid of the consequence of it, ifcarried immediately into execution. You must imagine, sir, that allthe calamities which have lately befallen this poor young fellow musthave thrown him into the lowest dejection of spirits; and now, sir,should we all on a sudden fling him into such a violent fit of joy, asI know your presence will occasion, it may, I am afraid, produce somefatal mischief, especially as his servant, who is without, tells me heis very far from being well."
"Is his servant without?" cries Allworthy; "pray call him hither. Iwill ask him some questions concerning his master."
Partridge was at first afraid to appear before Mr Allworthy; but wasat length persuaded, after Mrs Miller, who had often heard his wholestory from his own mouth, had promised to introduce him.
Allworthy recollected Partridge the moment he came into the room,though many years had passed since he had seen him. Mrs Miller,therefore, might have spared here a formal oration, in which, indeed,she was something prolix; for the reader, I believe, may have observedalready that the good woman, among other things, had a tongue alwaysready for the service of her friends.
"And are you," said Allworthy to Partridge, "the servant of Mr Jones?""I can't say, sir," answered he, "that I am regularly a servant, but Ilive with him, an't please your honour, at present. _Non sum qualiseram_, as your honour very well knows."
Mr Allworthy then asked him many questions concerning Jones, as to hishealth, and other matters; to all which Partridge answered, withouthaving the least regard to what was, but considered only what he wouldhave things appear; for a strict adherence to truth was not among thearticles of this honest fellow's morality or his religion.
During this dialogue Mr Nightingale took his leave, and presentlyafter Mrs Miller left the room, when Allworthy likewise despatchedBlifil; for he imagined that Partridge when alone with him would bemore explicit than before company. They were no sooner left in privatetogether than Allworthy began, as in the following chapter.