History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

by Henry Fielding

  Chapter ii.

  Containing letters and other matters which attend amours.

  Jones had not been long at home before he received the followingletter:--

  "I was never more surprized than when I found you was gone. When you left the room I little imagined you intended to have left the house without seeing me again. Your behaviour is all of a piece, and convinces me how much I ought to despise a heart which can doat upon an idiot; though I know not whether I should not admire her cunning more than her simplicity: wonderful both! For though she understood not a word of what passed between us, yet she had the skill, the assurance, the----what shall I call it? to deny to my face that she knows you, or ever saw you before.----Was this a scheme laid between you, and have you been base enough to betray me?----O how I despise her, you, and all the world, but chiefly myself! for----I dare not write what I should afterwards run mad to read; but remember, I can detest as violently as I have loved."

  Jones had but little time given him to reflect on this letter, beforea second was brought him from the same hand; and this, likewise, weshall set down in the precise words.

  "When you consider the hurry of spirits in which I must have writ, you cannot be surprized at any expressions in my former note.--Yet, perhaps, on reflection, they were rather too warm. At least I would, if possible, think all owing to the odious playhouse, and to the impertinence of a fool, which detained me beyond my appointment.----How easy is it to think well of those we love!----Perhaps you desire I should think so. I have resolved to see you to-night; so come to me immediately.

  "_P.S._--I have ordered to be at home to none but yourself.

  "_P.S._--Mr Jones will imagine I shall assist him in his defence; for I believe he cannot desire to impose on me more than I desire to impose on myself.

  "_P.S._--Come immediately."

  To the men of intrigue I refer the determination, whether the angry orthe tender letter gave the greatest uneasiness to Jones. Certain itis, he had no violent inclination to pay any more visits that evening,unless to one single person. However, he thought his honour engaged,and had not this been motive sufficient, he would not have ventured toblow the temper of Lady Bellaston into that flame of which he hadreason to think it susceptible, and of which he feared the consequencemight be a discovery to Sophia, which he dreaded. After somediscontented walks therefore about the room, he was preparing todepart, when the lady kindly prevented him, not by another letter, butby her own presence. She entered the room very disordered in herdress, and very discomposed in her looks, and threw herself into achair, where, having recovered her breath, she said--"You see, sir,when women have gone one length too far, they will stop at none. Ifany person would have sworn this to me a week ago, I would not havebelieved it of myself." "I hope, madam," said Jones, "my charming LadyBellaston will be as difficult to believe anything against one who isso sensible of the many obligations she hath conferred upon him.""Indeed!" says she, "sensible of obligations! Did I expect to hearsuch cold language from Mr Jones?" "Pardon me, my dear angel," saidhe, "if, after the letters I have received, the terrors of your anger,though I know not how I have deserved it."--"And have I then," saysshe, with a smile, "so angry a countenance?--Have I really brought achiding face with me?"--"If there be honour in man," said he, "I havedone nothing to merit your anger.--You remember the appointment yousent me; I went in pursuance."--"I beseech you," cried she, "do notrun through the odious recital.--Answer me but one question, and Ishall be easy. Have you not betrayed my honour to her?"--Jones fellupon his knees, and began to utter the most violent protestations,when Partridge came dancing and capering into the room, like one drunkwith joy, crying out, "She's found! she's found!--Here, sir, here,she's here--Mrs Honour is upon the stairs." "Stop her a moment," criesJones--"Here, madam, step behind the bed, I have no other room norcloset, nor place on earth to hide you in; sure never was so damned anaccident."--"D--n'd indeed!" said the lady, as she went to her placeof concealment; and presently afterwards in came Mrs Honour."Hey-day!" says she, "Mr Jones, what's the matter?--That impudentrascal your servant would scarce let me come upstairs. I hope he hathnot the same reason to keep me from you as he had at Upton.--I supposeyou hardly expected to see me; but you have certainly bewitched mylady. Poor dear young lady! To be sure, I loves her as tenderly as ifshe was my own sister. Lord have mercy upon you, if you don't make hera good husband! and to be sure, if you do not, nothing can be badenough for you." Jones begged her only to whisper, for that there wasa lady dying in the next room. "A lady!" cries she; "ay, I suppose oneof your ladies.--O Mr Jones, there are too many of them in the world;I believe we are got into the house of one, for my Lady Bellaston Idarst to say is no better than she should be."--"Hush! hush!" criesJones, "every word is overheard in the next room." "I don't care afarthing," cries Honour, "I speaks no scandal of any one; but to besure the servants make no scruple of saying as how her ladyship meetsmen at another place--where the house goes under the name of a poorgentlewoman; but her ladyship pays the rent, and many's the good thingbesides, they say, she hath of her."--Here Jones, after expressing theutmost uneasiness, offered to stop her mouth:--"Hey-day! why sure, MrJones, you will let me speak; I speaks no scandal, for I only sayswhat I heard from others--and thinks I to myself, much good may it dothe gentlewoman with her riches, if she comes by it in such a wickedmanner. To be sure it is better to be poor and honest." "The servantsare villains," cries Jones, "and abuse their lady unjustly."--"Ay, tobe sure, servants are always villains, and so my lady says, and won'thear a word of it."--"No, I am convinced," says Jones, "my Sophia isabove listening to such base scandal." "Nay, I believe it is noscandal, neither," cries Honour, "for why should she meet men atanother house?--It can never be for any good: for if she had a lawfuldesign of being courted, as to be sure any lady may lawfully give hercompany to men upon that account: why, where can be the sense?"--"Iprotest," cries Jones, "I can't hear all this of a lady of suchhonour, and a relation of Sophia; besides, you will distract the poorlady in the next room.--Let me entreat you to walk with me downstairs."--"Nay, sir, if you won't let me speak, I have done.--Here,sir, is a letter from my young lady--what would some men give to havethis? But, Mr Jones, I think you are not over and above generous, andyet I have heard some servants say----but I am sure you will do me thejustice to own I never saw the colour of your money." Here Joneshastily took the letter, and presently after slipped five pieces intoher hand. He then returned a thousand thanks to his dear Sophia in awhisper, and begged her to leave him to read her letter: she presentlydeparted, not without expressing much grateful sense of hisgenerosity.

  Lady Bellaston now came from behind the curtain. How shall I describeher rage? Her tongue was at first incapable of utterance; but streamsof fire darted from her eyes, and well indeed they might, for herheart was all in a flame. And now as soon as her voice found way,instead of expressing any indignation against Honour or her ownservants, she began to attack poor Jones. "You see," said she, "what Ihave sacrificed to you; my reputation, my honour--gone for ever! Andwhat return have I found? Neglected, slighted for a country girl, foran idiot."--"What neglect, madam, or what slight," cries Jones, "haveI been guilty of?"--"Mr Jones," said she, "it is in vain to dissemble;if you will make me easy, you must entirely give her up; and as aproof of your intention, show me the letter."--"What letter, madam?"said Jones. "Nay, surely," said she, "you cannot have the confidenceto deny your having received a letter by the hands of thattrollop."--"And can your ladyship," cries he, "ask of me what I mustpart with my honour before I grant? Have I acted in such a manner byyour ladyship? Could I be guilty of betraying this poor innocent girlto you, what security could you have that I should not act the samepart by yourself? A moment's reflection will, I am sure, convince youthat a man with whom the secrets of a lady are not safe must be themost contemptible of wretches."--"Very well," said she--"I need notinsist on your becoming this contemptible wretch in your own opinion;for the inside of the letter could inform me of n
othing more than Iknow already. I see the footing you are upon."--Here ensued a longconversation, which the reader, who is not too curious, will thank mefor not inserting at length. It shall suffice, therefore, to informhim, that Lady Bellaston grew more and more pacified, and at lengthbelieved, or affected to believe, his protestations, that his meetingwith Sophia that evening was merely accidental, and every other matterwhich the reader already knows, and which, as Jones set before her inthe strongest light, it is plain that she had in reality no reason tobe angry with him.

  She was not, however, in her heart perfectly satisfied with hisrefusal to show her the letter; so deaf are we to the clearest reason,when it argues against our prevailing passions. She was, indeed, wellconvinced that Sophia possessed the first place in Jones's affections;and yet, haughty and amorous as this lady was, she submitted at lastto bear the second place; or, to express it more properly in a legalphrase, was contented with the possession of that of which anotherwoman had the reversion.

  It was at length agreed that Jones should for the future visit at thehouse: for that Sophia, her maid, and all the servants, would placethese visits to the account of Sophia; and that she herself would beconsidered as the person imposed upon.

  This scheme was contrived by the lady, and highly relished by Jones,who was indeed glad to have a prospect of seeing his Sophia at anyrate; and the lady herself was not a little pleased with theimposition on Sophia, which Jones, she thought, could not possiblydiscover to her for his own sake.

  The next day was appointed for the first visit, and then, after properceremonials, the Lady Bellaston returned home.