History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
Page 65
Chapter v.
In which is related what passed between Sophia and her aunt.
Sophia was in her chamber, reading, when her aunt came in. The momentshe saw Mrs Western, she shut the book with so much eagerness, thatthe good lady could not forbear asking her, What book that was whichshe seemed so much afraid of showing? "Upon my word, madam," answeredSophia, "it is a book which I am neither ashamed nor afraid to own Ihave read. It is the production of a young lady of fashion, whose goodunderstanding, I think, doth honour to her sex, and whose good heartis an honour to human nature." Mrs Western then took up the book, andimmediately after threw it down, saying--"Yes, the author is of a verygood family; but she is not much among people one knows. I have neverread it; for the best judges say, there is not much in it."--"I darenot, madam, set up my own opinion," says Sophia, "against the bestjudges, but there appears to me a great deal of human nature in it;and in many parts so much true tenderness and delicacy, that it hathcost me many a tear."--"Ay, and do you love to cry then?" says theaunt. "I love a tender sensation," answered the niece, "and would paythe price of a tear for it at any time."--"Well, but show me," saidthe aunt, "what was you reading when I came in; there was somethingvery tender in that, I believe, and very loving too. You blush, mydear Sophia. Ah! child, you should read books which would teach you alittle hypocrisy, which would instruct you how to hide your thoughts alittle better."--"I hope, madam," answered Sophia, "I have no thoughtswhich I ought to be ashamed of discovering."--"Ashamed! no," cries theaunt, "I don't think you have any thoughts which you ought to beashamed of; and yet, child, you blushed just now when I mentioned theword loving. Dear Sophy, be assured you have not one thought which Iam not well acquainted with; as well, child, as the French are withour motions, long before we put them in execution. Did you think,child, because you have been able to impose upon your father, that youcould impose upon me? Do you imagine I did not know the reason of youroveracting all that friendship for Mr Blifil yesterday? I have seen alittle too much of the world, to be so deceived. Nay, nay, do notblush again. I tell you it is a passion you need not be ashamed of. Itis a passion I myself approve, and have already brought your fatherinto the approbation of it. Indeed, I solely consider yourinclination; for I would always have that gratified, if possible,though one may sacrifice higher prospects. Come, I have news whichwill delight your very soul. Make me your confident, and I willundertake you shall be happy to the very extent of your wishes." "La,madam," says Sophia, looking more foolishly than ever she did in herlife, "I know not what to say--why, madam, should you suspect?"--"Nay,no dishonesty," returned Mrs Western. "Consider, you are speaking toone of your own sex, to an aunt, and I hope you are convinced youspeak to a friend. Consider, you are only revealing to me what I knowalready, and what I plainly saw yesterday, through that most artful ofall disguises, which you had put on, and which must have deceived anyone who had not perfectly known the world. Lastly, consider it is apassion which I highly approve." "La, madam," says Sophia, "you comeupon one so unawares, and on a sudden. To be sure, madam, I am notblind--and certainly, if it be a fault to see all human perfectionsassembled together--but is it possible my father and you, madam, cansee with my eyes?" "I tell you," answered the aunt, "we do entirelyapprove; and this very afternoon your father hath appointed for you toreceive your lover." "My father, this afternoon!" cries Sophia, withthe blood starting from her face.--"Yes, child," said the aunt, "thisafternoon. You know the impetuosity of my brother's temper. Iacquainted him with the passion which I first discovered in you thatevening when you fainted away in the field. I saw it in your fainting.I saw it immediately upon your recovery. I saw it that evening atsupper, and the next morning at breakfast (you know, child, I haveseen the world). Well, I no sooner acquainted my brother, but heimmediately wanted to propose it to Allworthy. He proposed ityesterday, Allworthy consented (as to be sure he must with joy), andthis afternoon, I tell you, you are to put on all your best airs.""This afternoon!" cries Sophia. "Dear aunt, you frighten me out of mysenses." "O, my dear," said the aunt, "you will soon come to yourselfagain; for he is a charming young fellow, that's the truth on't.""Nay, I will own," says Sophia, "I know none with such perfections. Sobrave, and yet so gentle; so witty, yet so inoffensive; so humane, socivil, so genteel, so handsome! What signifies his being base born,when compared with such qualifications as these?" "Base born? What doyou mean?" said the aunt, "Mr Blifil base born!" Sophia turnedinstantly pale at this name, and faintly repeated it. Upon which theaunt cried, "Mr Blifil--ay, Mr Blifil, of whom else have we beentalking?" "Good heavens," answered Sophia, ready to sink, "of MrJones, I thought; I am sure I know no other who deserves--" "Iprotest," cries the aunt, "you frighten me in your turn. Is it MrJones, and not Mr Blifil, who is the object of your affection?" "MrBlifil!" repeated Sophia. "Sure it is impossible you can be inearnest; if you are, I am the most miserable woman alive." Mrs Westernnow stood a few moments silent, while sparks of fiery rage flashedfrom her eyes. At length, collecting all her force of voice, shethundered forth in the following articulate sounds:
"And is it possible you can think of disgracing your family by allyingyourself to a bastard? Can the blood of the Westerns submit to suchcontamination? If you have not sense sufficient to restrain suchmonstrous inclinations, I thought the pride of our family would haveprevented you from giving the least encouragement to so base anaffection; much less did I imagine you would ever have had theassurance to own it to my face."
"Madam," answered Sophia, trembling, "what I have said you haveextorted from me. I do not remember to have ever mentioned the name ofMr Jones with approbation to any one before; nor should I now had Inot conceived he had your approbation. Whatever were my thoughts ofthat poor, unhappy young man, I intended to have carried them with meto my grave--to that grave where only now, I find, I am to seekrepose." Here she sunk down in her chair, drowned in her tears, and,in all the moving silence of unutterable grief, presented a spectaclewhich must have affected almost the hardest heart.
All this tender sorrow, however, raised no compassion in her aunt. Onthe contrary, she now fell into the most violent rage.--"And I wouldrather," she cried, in a most vehement voice, "follow you to yourgrave, than I would see you disgrace yourself and your family by sucha match. O Heavens! could I have ever suspected that I should live tohear a niece of mine declare a passion for such a fellow? You are thefirst--yes, Miss Western, you are the first of your name who everentertained so grovelling a thought. A family so noted for theprudence of its women"--here she ran on a full quarter of an hour,till, having exhausted her breath rather than her rage, she concludedwith threatening to go immediately and acquaint her brother.
Sophia then threw herself at her feet, and laying hold of her hands,begged her with tears to conceal what she had drawn from her; urgingthe violence of her father's temper, and protesting that noinclinations of hers should ever prevail with her to do anything whichmight offend him.
Mrs Western stood a moment looking at her, and then, havingrecollected herself, said, "That on one consideration only she wouldkeep the secret from her brother; and this was, that Sophia shouldpromise to entertain Mr Blifil that very afternoon as her lover, andto regard him as the person who was to be her husband."
Poor Sophia was too much in her aunt's power to deny her anythingpositively; she was obliged to promise that she would see Mr Blifil,and be as civil to him as possible; but begged her aunt that the matchmight not be hurried on. She said, "Mr Blifil was by no meansagreeable to her, and she hoped her father would be prevailed on notto make her the most wretched of women."
Mrs Western assured her, "That the match was entirely agreed upon, andthat nothing could or should prevent it. I must own," said she, "Ilooked on it as on a matter of indifference; nay, perhaps, had somescruples about it before, which were actually got over by my thinkingit highly agreeable to your own inclinations; but now I regard it asthe most eligible thing in the world: nor shall there be, if I canprevent it, a moment of time lost on the occasion."
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Sophia replied, "Delay at least, madam, I may expect from both yourgoodness and my father's. Surely you will give me time to endeavour toget the better of so strong a disinclination as I have at present tothis person."
The aunt answered, "She knew too much of the world to be so deceived;that as she was sensible another man had her affections, she shouldpersuade Mr Western to hasten the match as much as possible. It wouldbe bad politics, indeed," added she, "to protract a siege when theenemy's army is at hand, and in danger of relieving it. No, no,Sophy," said she, "as I am convinced you have a violent passion whichyou can never satisfy with honour, I will do all I can to put yourhonour out of the care of your family: for when you are married thosematters will belong only to the consideration of your husband. I hope,child, you will always have prudence enough to act as becomes you; butif you should not, marriage hath saved many a woman from ruin."
Sophia well understood what her aunt meant; but did not think properto make her an answer. However, she took a resolution to see MrBlifil, and to behave to him as civilly as she could, for on thatcondition only she obtained a promise from her aunt to keep secret theliking which her ill fortune, rather than any scheme of Mrs Western,had unhappily drawn from her.