This was the
first time of her so doing, and it was in the highest degree
acceptable to the squire. Again, he remembered that Mr. Allworthy
had insisted on an entire relinquishment of all violent means; and,
indeed, as he made no doubt but that Jones would be hanged, he did not
in the least question succeeding with his daughter by fair means; he
now, therefore, once more gave a loose to his natural fondness for
her, which had such an effect on the dutiful, grateful, tender, and
affectionate heart of Sophia, that had her honour, given to Jones, and
something else, perhaps, in which he was concerned, been removed, I
much doubt whether she would not have sacrificed herself to a man
she did not like, to have obliged her father. She promised him she
would make it the whole business of her life to oblige him, and
would never marry any man against his consent; which brought the old
man so near to his highest happiness, that he was resolved to take the
other step, and went to bed completely drunk.
Chapter 3
Allworthy visits old Nightingale; with a strange discovery that he
made on that occasion
The morning after these things had happened, Mr. Allworthy went,
according to his promise, to visit old Nightingale, with whom his
authority was so great, that, after having sat with him three hours,
he at last prevailed with him to consent to see his son.
Here an accident happened of a very extraordinary kind; one indeed
of those strange chances whence very good and grave men have concluded
that Providence often interposes in the discovery of the most secret
villany, in order to caution men from quitting the paths of honesty,
however warily they tread in those of vice.
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