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him, nor indeed had imagined he was able so to do. In reality, the promises which Blifil had made to Dowling, were the motives which had induced him to secrecy; and as he now very plainly saw Blifil would not be able to keep them, he thought proper now to make this confession, which the promises of forgiveness, joined to the threats, the voice, the looks of Allworthy, and the discoveries he had made before, extorted from him, who was besides taken unawares, and had no time to consider of evasions.

Allworthy appeared well satisfied with this relation, and having enjoined on Dowling strict silence as to what had past, conducted that gentleman himself to the door, lest he should see Blifil, who was returned to his chamber, where he exulted in the thoughts of this last deceit on his uncle, and little suspected what had since passed below stairs.

As Allworthy was returning to his room, he met Mrs. Miller in the entry, who, with a face all pale and full of terror, said to him, "O! sir, I find this wicked woman hath been with you, and you know all; yet do not on this account abandon the poor young man. Consider, sir, he was ignorant it was his own mother; and the discovery itself will most probably break his heart, without your unkindness."

"Madam," says Allworthy, "I am under such an astonishment at what I have heard, that I am really unable to satisfy you; but come with me into my room. Indeed, Mrs. Miller, I have made surprising discoveries, and you shall soon know them."

The poor woman followed him trembling; and now Allworthy going up to Mrs. Waters, took her by the hand, and then turning to Mrs. Miller, said, "What reward shall I bestow upon this gentlewoman, for the services she hath done me?-O! Mrs. Miller, you have a thousand times heard me call the young man to whom you are so faithful a friend, my son. Little did I then think he was indeed related to me at all.-Your friend, madam, is my nephew; he is the brother of that wicked viper which I have so long nourished in my bosom.-She will herself tell you the

whole story, and how the youth came to pass for her son. Indeed, Mrs. Miller, I am convinced that he hath been wronged, and that I have been abused; abused by one whom you too justly suspected of being a villain. He is, in truth, the worst of villains."

The joy which Mrs. Miller now felt bereft her of the power of speech, and might perhaps have deprived her of her senses, if not of life, had not a friendly shower of tears come seasonably to her relief. At length recovering so far from her transport as to be able to speak, she cried: "And is my dear Mr. Jones then your nephew, sir? and not the son of this lady? And are your eyes opened to him at last? And shall I live to see him as happy as he deserves?" "He certainly is my nephew," says Allworthy, "and I hope all the rest."-"And is this the dear good woman, the person," cries she, "to whom all this discovery is owing?"-" She is indeed," says Allworthy. "Why then,” cried Mrs. Miller upon her knees, "may heaven shower down its choicest blessings upon her head, and for this one good action forgive her all her sins, be they never so many!"

Mrs. Waters then informed them, that she believed Jones would very shortly be released; for that the surgeon was gone, in company with a nobleman, to the justice who committed him, in order to certify that Mr. Fitzpatrick was out of all manner of danger, and to procure his prisoner his liberty.

Allworthy said he should be glad to find his nephew there at his return home; but that he was then obliged to go on some business of consequence. He then called presently left the

to a

servant to fetch him a chair, and two ladies together.

Mr. Blifil hearing the chair ordered, came down stairs to attend upon his uncle; for he never was deficient in such acts of duty. He asked his uncle if he was going out; which is a civil way of asking a man, whither he is going to which the other making no answer, he again desired to know, when he would be pleased to return?—

Allworthy made no answer to this neither, till he was just going into his chair, and then turning about, he said, -"Harkye, sir, do you find out, before my return, the letter which your mother sent me on her deathbed." Allworthy then departed, and left Blifil in a situation to be envied only by a man who is just going to be hanged.

CHAPTER IX.

A FURTHER CONTINUATION.

ALLWORTHY took an opportunity whilst he was in the chair, of reading the letter from Jones to Sophia, which Western delivered him; and there were some expressions in it concerning himself which drew tears from his eyes. At length he arrived at Mr. Western's, and was introduced to Sophia.

When the first ceremonies were past, and the gentleman and lady had taken their chairs, a silence of some minutes ensued; during which the latter, who had been prepared for the visit by her father, sat playing with her fan, and had every mark of confusion both in her countenance and behaviour. At length Allworthy, who was himself a little disconcerted, began thus: "I am afraid, Miss Western, my family hath been the occasion of giving you some uneasiness; to which, I fear, I have innocently become more instrumental than I intended. Be assured, madam, had I at first known how disagreeable the proposals had been, I should not have suffered you to have been so long persecuted. I hope, therefore, you will not think the design of this visit is to trouble you with any further solicitations of that kind, but entirely to relieve you from them."

"Sir," said Sophia, with a little modest hesitation, "this behaviour is most kind and generous, and such as I could expect only from Mr. Allworthy; but as you have been so

kind to mention this matter, you will pardon me for saying, it hath, indeed, given me great uneasiness, and hath been the occasion of my suffering much cruel treatment from a father, who was, till that unhappy affair, the tenderest and fondest of all parents. I am convinced, sir, you are too good and generous to resent my refusal of your nephew. Our inclinations are not in our own power; and whatever may be his merit, I cannot force them in his favour." "I assure you, most amiable young lady," said Allworthy, "I am capable of no such resentment, had the person been my own son, and had I entertained the highest esteem for him. For you say truly, madam, we cannot force our inclinations, much less can they be directed by another." "O! sir," answered Sophia, "every word you speak proves you deserve that good, that great, that benevolent character the whole world. allows you. I assure, you, sir, nothing less than the certain. prospect of future misery could have made me resist the commands of my father." "I sincerely believe you, madam," replied Allworthy, "and I heartily congratulate you on your prudent foresight, since by so justifiable a resistance you have avoided misery indeed!" "You speak now, Mr. Allworthy," cries she, "with a delicacy which few men are capable of feeling but surely, in my opinion, to lead our lives with one to whom we are indifferent, must be a state of wretchedness -Perhaps that wretchedness would be even increased by a sense of the merits of an object to whom we cannot give our affections. If I had married Mr. Blifil-" "Pardon my interrupting you, madam," answered Allworthy, "but I cannot bear the supposition.-Believe me, Miss Western, I rejoice from my heart, I rejoice in your escape.--I have discovered the wretch for whom you have suffered all this cruel violence from your father, to be a villain." "How, sir!" cries Sophia,-" you must believe this surprises me." "It hath surprised me, madam," answered Allworthy, "and so it will the world-But I have acquainted you with the real truth." Nothing but truth," says Sophia, "can, I am convinced, come from the lips of Mr. Allworthy.--Yet, sir, such sudden, such unexpected news-Discovered, you

"

say--may villany be ever so!"- "You will soon enough hear the story," cries Allworthy ;-" at present let us not mention so detested a name. I have another matter of a very serious nature to propose.-O! Miss Western, I know your vast worth, nor can I so easily part with the ambition of being allied to it. I have a near relation, madam, a young man whose character is, I am convinced, the very opposite to that of this wretch, and whose fortune I will make equal to what his was to have been. Could I, madam, hope you would admit a visit from him?" Sophia, after a minute's silence, answered, "I will deal with the utmost sincerity with Mr. Allworthy. His character, and the obligation I have just received from him, demand it. I have determined at present to listen to no such proposals, from any person. My only desire is to be restored to the affection of my father, and to be again the mistress of his family. This, sir, I hope to owe to your good offices. Let me beseech you, let me conjure you by all the goodness which I, and all who know you, have experienced; do not the very moment when you have released me from one persecution, do not engage me in another as miserable and as fruitless." "Indeed, Miss Western," replied Allworthy, "I am capable of no such conduct; and if this be your resolution, he must submit to the disappointment, whatever torments he may suffer under it." "I must smile now, Mr. Allworthy," answered Sophia, "when you mention the torments of a man whom I do not know, and who can consequently have so little acquaintance with me." "Pardon me, dear young lady," cries Allworthy, "I begin now to be afraid he hath had too much acquaintance, for the repose of his future days; since, if ever man was capable of a sincere, violent, and noble passion, such, I am convinced, is my unhappy nephew's for Miss Western.” "A nephew of yours, Mr. Allworthy!" answered Sophia. "It is surely strange, I never heard of him before." "Indeed! madam," cries Allworthy, "it is only the circumstance of his being my nephew to which you are a stranger, and which, till this day, was a secret to me.-Mr. Jones, who has long loved you, he! he is my nephew!" "Mr. Jones your 3 U

VOL. II.

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