The poor woman, who was almoft deprived of her fenfes at this dreadful news, was never lefs capable of invention than at prefent. However, as women are much readier at this than men, fhe bethought herself of an excufe, and returning to Allworthy, faid, I am fure, Sir, you will be furprised at hearing any objection from me to the kind propofal you just now made; and yet I am afraid of the confequence of it, if carried immediately into execution. You must imagine, Sir, that all the calamities which have lately befallen this poor young fellow, muft have thrown him into the lowest dejection of spirits: and now, Sir, fhould we • all on a fudden fling him into fuch a violent fit of jay as I know your prefence will occafion, it may, I am afraid, produce fome fatal mischief, especially as his fer• vant, who is without, tells me he is very far from being • well.'

་

Is his fervant without?' cries Allworthy; Pray call him hither. I will ask him fome queftions concerning his mafter.'

Partridge was at first afraid to appear before Mr. All-worthy; but was at length perfuaded, after Mrs Miller, who had often heard his whole ftory from his own mouth, had promised to introduce him.

Allworthy recollected Partridge the moment he came into the room, though many years had paffed fince he had feen him. Mrs Miller therefore might have fpared here a formal oration, in which indeed fhe was fomething prolix for the reader, I believe, may have ob ferved already that the good woman, among other things, had a tongue always ready for the service of her friends.

And are you, faid Allworthy to Partridge, the fervant of Mr Jones? I can't- fay, Sir,' anfwered he, that I am regularly a fervant, but I live with him, an’t please your Honour, at prefent. Non fum qualis eram, as your Honour very well knows.'

Mr Allworthy then asked him many queftions concerning Jones, as to his health, and other matters: to all which Partridge anfwered, without having the lea regard to what was, but confidered only what he would have things appear; for a ftrict adherence to truth was

not among the articles of this honeft fellow's morality, or his religion.

During this dialogue Mr Nightingale took his leave, and prefently after Mrs Miller left the room, when Allworthy likewife dispatched Blifil; for he imagined that Partridge, when alone with him, would be more explicitthan before company. They were no fooner left in private together, than Allworthy began as in the following chapter.

CHA P. VI.

In which the hiftory is farther continued.

URE, friend,' faid the good man, you are the ftrangeft of all beings; not only to have fuffered as "you have formerly, for obftinately perfifting in a falfehood, but to perfift in it thus to the laft, and to pass thus upon the world for the fervant of your own fon. What intereft can you have in all this? what can be your motive?

I fee, Sir,' faid Partridge, falling down upon his knees, that your Honour is prepoffed against me, and refolved not to believe any thing I fay, and therefore what fignifies my proteftations? but yet there is one above who knows that I am not the father of this young man.'

How!' faid Allworthy, will you yet deny what you was formerly convicted of upon fuch unanfwerable, fuch manifeft evidence? Nay, what a confirmation is your being now found with this very man, of all which twenty years ago appeared against you! I thought you had left the country; nay, I thought you had long fince been dead.In what manner did you know any. thing of this young man? Where did you meet with him, unless you had kept fome correfpondence together? Do not deny this; for I promife you it will greatly • rife your fon in my opinion, to find that he hath fuch a fenfe of filial duty, as privately to fupport his fatherfor fo many years.'

3

If your Honour will have patience to hear me,' faid Partridge, I will tell you all.'Being bid go on, he proceeded thus: When your Honour conceived that -

difpleasure against me, it ended in my ruin foon after; for I loft my little fchool, and the minifter, thinking, I fuppofe, it would be agreeable to your Honour, turned me out from the office of clerk, fo that I had nothing to truft to but the barber's fhop, which, in a country-place like that, is a poor livelihood; and when my wife died, (for till that time I received a penfion of 12 1. a-year from an unknown hand, which, indeed, I believe was your Honour's own, for no body that ever I heard of doth these things befides); but I was faying, when he died, this penfion forfook me; fo that now, as I owed two or three fmall debts, which began to be troublefome to me, particularly one, *which an attorney brought up by law charges from 15 s. to near 30l. and as I found all my ufual means of living had forfook me, I packed up my little all as well as I could, and went off.

as

The first place I came to was Salisbury, where I got into the fervice of a gentleman belonging to the law, and one of the beft gentlemen, that ever I knew: for he was not only good to me, I know a thoufand goed and charitable acts which he did while I flaid with him; and I have known him often refufe bufinefs, because it was paultry and oppreffive.' You need not be for particular,' faid Allworthy; I know this gentleman, and a very worthy man he is, and an honour to his ✦ profeffion.'——" Well, Sir,' continued Partridge,' from hence I removed to Lymington, where I was above three years in the fervice of another lawyer, who was likewife a very good fort of a man, and to be fure one of the merriet gentlemen in England. Well, Sir, at the end of the three years I fet up a little fchool, and was likely to do well again, had it not been for a moft unlucky accident. Here I kept a pig; and one day,

* This is a fact which I knew happened to a poor clergyman in Dorfet fhire, by the villainy of an attorney, who, not contented with the exorbitant cofts to which the poor man was put by a fingle action, brought afterwards another action on the judgement as it was called. A method frequently ufed to opprefs the poor, and bring money into the pockets of attorneys, to the great feandal of the law of the nation, of Chriflianity, and even of human nature itself.

as ill fortune would have it, this pig broke out, and • did a trespass, I think they call it, in a garden belonging to one of my neighbours, who was a proud, revengeful man, and employed a lawyer, one-one-I can't think of his name; but he fent for a writ against 6 me, and had me to fize. When I came there, Lord have mercy upon me,-to hear what the counsellors faid! There was one that told my Lord a parcel of the confoundest lies about me; he faid, that I used to drive my hogs into other folks gardens, and a great • deal more; and at last he said, he hoped I had at last brought my hogs to a fair market. To be fure one would have thought, that inftead of being owner only of one poor little pig, I had been the greatest hogmerchant in England. Well' Pray,' faid Allworthy, 'do not be fo particular. I have heard nothing of your fon yet.' O it was a great many years,'

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an

fwered Partridge, before I faw my own fon, as you are pleafed to call him. I went over to Ireland after this, and taught fchool at Cork, (for that one fuit ruined me again, and I lay feven years in Winchester gaol.')—' Well,' faid Allworthy,pafs that over, till you return to England.'' Then, Sir,' faid he, 'it was about half a year ago that I landed at Bristol, where I ftaid fome time, and not finding it do there, and hearing of a place between that and Gloucester, where the barber was just dead, I went thither, and there I had been about two months when Mr Jones come thither.' He then gave Allworthy a very particular account of their first meeting, and of every thing, as well as he could remember, which had happened from that day to this; frequently interlarding his ftory with panegyrics on Jones, and not forgetting to infinuate the great love and refpect which he had for Allworthy. He concluded with faying. Now, Sir, I have told your Honour the whole truth;' and then repeated a most folemn proteftation, That he was no more the father of Jones than of the Pope of Rome;' and imprecated the most bitter curfes on his head, if he did not speak

truth.

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What am I to think of this matter? cries Allwor thy. For what purpose should you fo ftrongly deny a

· own

fact, which I think it would be rather your interest to - Nay, Sir,' anfwered Partridge, (for he could hold no longer, if your Honour will not believe me, you are like foon to have fatisfaction enough. I wish you had mistaken the mother of this young man, as well as you have his father.'And now being asked what he meant, with all the symptoms of horror, both in his voice and countenance, he told Allworthy the whole ftory, which he had a little before expreffed fuch defire to Mrs Miller to conceal from him.

Allworthy was almost as much fhocked at this difcovery as Partridge himself had been while he related it. • Good Heavens!' fays he, in what miserable distresses • do voice and imprudence involve men! How much beyond our defigns are the effects of wickedness fome-times carried!" He had fcarce uttered these words when Mrs Waters came haftily and abruptly into the room. Partridge no fooner faw her than he cried, Here, Sir, here is the very woman herself. This is the un-• fortunate mother of Mr Jones; I am fure fhe will acquit me before your Honour,-Pray, Madam'

Mrs Waters, without paying any regard to what Partridge faid, and almost without taking any notice of him, advanced to Mr Allworthy. I believe, Sir, it is fo long fince I had the honour of seeing you, that you do not recollect me.'- Indeed,' answered Allworthy, you are fo very much altered on many accounts, that had not this man already acquainted me who you are, I should not have immediately called you to my remem brance. Have you, Madam, any particular business which brings you to me?'-Allworthy fpoke this with great referve; for the reader may eafily believe he was not well pleafed with the conduct of this lady, neither: with what he had formerly heard, nor with what Partridge had now delivered.

Mrs Waters anfwered,- Indeed, Sir, I have very particular bufinefs with you; and it is fuch as I can impart only to yourfelf. I must defire, therefore, the favour of a word with you alone; for I affure you what I have to tell you is of the utmost importance." Partridge was then ordered to withdraw, but before. he went he begged the lady to fatisfy Mr Allworthy