5. CHAPTER V.
In which the history is continued
Mr. Allworthy, in his last speech, had recollected some tender ideas
concerning Jones, which had brought tears into the good man's eyes.
This Mrs. Miller observing, said, "Yes, yes, sir, your goodness to
this poor young man is known, notwithstanding all your care to conceal
it; but there is not a single syllable of truth in what those villains
said. Mr. Nightingale hath now discovered the whole matter. It seems
these fellows were employed by a lord, who is a rival of poor Mr.
Jones, to have pressed him on board a ship.-- I assure them I don't
know who they will press next. Mr. Nightingale here hath seen the
officer himself, who is a very pretty gentleman, and hath told him
all, and is very sorry for what he undertook, which he would never
have done, had he known Mr. Jones to have been a gentleman; but he was
told that he was a common strolling vagabond."
Allworthy stared at all this, and declared he was a stranger to
every word she said, "Yes, sir," answered she, "I believe you
are.-- It is a very different story, I believe, from what those
fellows told the lawyer."
"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
Mr. Nightingale here saw him." "Saw whom, madam?" answered he. "Why,
your lawyer, sir," said she, "that you so kindly sent to inquire
into the affair." "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 I came into the room, at an alehouse in Aldersgate,
in company with two of the fellows who were employed by Lord
Fellamar to press Mr. Jones, and who were by that means present at the
unhappy rencounter between him and Mr. Fitzpatrick." "I own, sir,"
said Mrs. Miller, "when I saw this gentleman come into the room to
you, I told Mr. Nightingale that I apprehended you had sent him
thither to inquire into the affair." Allworthy showed marks of
astonishment in his countenance at this news, and was indeed for two
or three minutes struck dumb by it. At last, addressing himself to Mr.
Nightingale, he said, "I must confess myself, sir, more surprized at
what you tell me than I have ever been before at anything in my
whole life. Are you certain this was the gentleman?" "I am most
certain," answered Nightingale. "At Aldersgate?" cries Allworthy. "And
was you in company with this lawyer and the two fellows?"- "I was,
sir," said the other, "very near half an hour." "Well, sir," said
Allworthy, "and in what manner did the lawyer behave? did you hear all
that past between him and the fellows?" "No, sir," answered
Nightingale, "they had been together before I came.- In my presence
the lawyer said little; but, after I had several times examined the
fellows, who persisted in a story directly contrary to what I had
heard from Mr. Jones, and which I find by Mr. Fitzpatrick was a rank
falshood, the lawyer then desired the fellows to say nothing but
what was the truth, and seemed to speak so much 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."- "And did you not
send him thither?" says Mrs. Miller.- "Indeed I did not," answered
Allworthy; "nor did I know he had gone on such errand till this
moment."- "I see it all!" said Mrs. Miller, "upon my soul, I see it
all! No wonder they have been closeted so close lately. Son
Nightingale, let me beg you run for these fellows immediately-- find
them out if they are above-ground. I will go myself"-- "Dear madam,"
said Allworthy, "be patient, and do me the favour to send a servant
upstairs to call Mr. Dowling hither, if he be in the house, or, if
not, Mr. Blifil." Mrs. Miller went out muttering something to herself,
and presently returned with an answer, "That Mr. Dowling was gone; but
that the t'other," as she called him, "was coming."
Allworthy was of a cooler disposition than the good woman, whose
spirits were all up in arms in the cause of her friend. He was not
however without some suspicions which were near akin to hers. When
Blifil came into the room, he asked him with a very serious
countenance, and with a less friendly look than he had ever before
given him, "Whether he knew anything of Mr. Dowling's having seen
any of the persons who were present at the duel between Jones and
another gentleman?"
There is nothing so dangerous as a question which comes by
surprize on a man whose business it is to conceal truth, or to
defend falshood. For which reason those worthy personages, whose noble
office it is to save the lives of their fellow-creatures at the Old
Bailey, take the utmost care, by frequent previous examination, to
divine every question which may be asked their clients on the day of
tryal, that they may be supplyed with proper and ready answers,
which the most fertile invention cannot supply in an instant. Besides,
the sudden and violent impulse on the blood, occasioned by these
surprizes, causes frequently such an alteration in the countenance,
that the man is obliged to give evidence against himself. And such
indeed were the alterations which the countenance of Blifil
underwent from this sudden question, that we can scarce blame the
eagerness of Mrs. Miller, who immediately cryed out, "Guilty, upon
my honour! guilty, upon my soul!"
Mr. Allworthy sharply rebuked her for this impetuosity; and then
turning to Blifil, who seemed sinking into the earth, he said, "Why do
you hesitate, sir, at giving me an answer? You certainly must have
employed him; for he would not, of his own accord, I believe, have
undertaken 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, very
angrily.-- "Nay, sir," answered Blifil, "I knew you would be offended;
yet surely my dear uncle will forgive the effects of the most
amiable of human weaknesses. Compassion for those who do not deserve
it, I own is a crime; and yet it is a crime from which you yourself
are not entirely free. I know I have been guilty of it in more than
one instance to this very person; and I will own I did send Mr.
Dowling, not on a vain and fruitless inquiry, 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
appeared to me from the gentleman's behaviour."
"Now, madam," said Allworthy, "I believe you will once in your
life own you have entertained a wrong suspicion, and are not so
angry with my nephew as you was."
Mrs. Miller was silent; for, though she could not so hastily be
pleased with Blifil, whom she looked upon to have been the ruin of
Jones, yet in this particular instance he had imposed upon her as well
as upon the rest; so entirely had the devil stood his friend. And,
indeed, I look upon the vulgar observation, "That the devil often
deserts his friends, and leaves them in the lurch," to be a great
abuse on that gentleman's character. Perhaps he may sometimes desert
those who are only his cup acquaintance; or who, at most, are but half
his; but he generally stands by those who are thoroughly his servants,
and helps them off in all extremities, till their bargain expires.
As a conquered rebellion strengthens a government, or as health is
more perfectly established by recovery from some diseases; so anger,
when removed, often gives new life to affection. This was the case
of Mr. Allworthy; for Blifil having wiped off the greater suspicion,
the lesser, which had been raised by Square's letter, sunk of
course, and was forgotten; and Thwackum, with whom he was greatly
offended, bore alone all the reflections which Square had cast on
the enemies of Jones.
As for that young man, the resentment of Mr. Allworthy began more
and more to abate towards him. He told Blifil, "He did not only
forgive the extraordinary efforts of his good-nature, but would give
him the pleasure of following his example." Then, turning to Mrs.
Miller with a smile which would have become an angel, he cryed,
"What say you, madam? shall we take a hackney-coach, and all of us
together pay a visit to your friend? I promise you it is not the first
visit I have made 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
acquainted with friendship, who can feel what she felt on this
occasion. Few, I hope, are capable of feeling what now passed in the
mind of Blifil; but those who are, will acknowledge, that it was
impossible for him to raise any objection to this visit. Fortune,
however, or the gentleman lately mentioned above, stood his friend,
and prevented his undergoing so 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; and hearing Mr. Allworthy's
intention, begged her to find some means of stopping him: "For,"
says he, "the matter must at all hazards be kept a secret from him;
and if he should now go, he will find Mr. Jones and his mother, who
arrived just as I left him, lamenting over one another the horrid
crime they have ignorantly committed."
The poor woman, who was almost deprived of her senses at his
dreadful news, was never less capable of invention than at present.
However, as women are much readier at this than men, she bethought
herself of an excuse, and, returning to Allworthy, said, "I am sure,
sir, you will be surprized at hearing any objection from me to the
kind proposal you just now made; and yet I am afraid of the
consequence of it, if carried immediately into execution. You must
imagine, sir, that all the calamities which have lately befallen
this poor young fellow must have thrown him into the lowest
dejection of spirits; and now, sir, should we all of a sudden fling
him into such a violent fit of joy, as I know your presence will
occasion, it may, I am afraid, produce some fatal mischief, especially
as his servant, who is without, tells me he is very far from being
well."
"Is his servant without?" cries Allworthy; "pray call him hither.
I will ask him some questions concerning his master."
Partridge was at first afraid to appear before Mr. Allworthy; but
was at length persuaded, after Mrs. Miller, who had often heard his
whole story 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 observed already that the good woman, among other things, had a
tongue always ready 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 I live with him, an't please your honour, at present. Non
sum qualis eram; as your honour very well knows."
Mr. Allworthy then asked him many questions concerning Jones, as
to his health, and other matters; to all which Partridge answered,
without having the least regard to what was, but considered only
what he would have things appear; for a strict adherence to truth
was not among the articles of this honest fellow's morality, or his
religion.
During this dialogue Mr. Nightingale took his leave, and presently
after Mrs. Miller left the room, when Allworthy likewise dispatched
Blifil; for he imagined that Partridge, when alone with him, would
be more explicit than before company. They were no sooner left in
private together than Allworthy began, as in the following chapter.