It is indeed possible that this circumstance might
have escaped his memory; for, in his reply, he positively
insisted, that he had made use of no such appellation;
adding, “Heaven forbid such naughty words should
ever come out of his mouth!”
Tom, though against all form of law, rejoined in affirmance
of the words. Upon which Master Blifil said,
“It is no wonder. Those who will tell one
fib, will hardly stick at another. If I had told
my master such a wicked fib as you have done, I should
be ashamed to show my face.”
“What fib, child?” cries Thwackum pretty
eagerly.
“Why, he told you that nobody was with him a
shooting when he killed the partridge; but he knows”
(here he burst into a flood of tears), “yes,
he knows, for he confessed it to me, that Black George
the gamekeeper was there. Nay, he said—yes
you did—deny it if you can, that you would
not have confest the truth, though master had cut you
to pieces.”
At this the fire flashed from Thwackum’s eyes,
and he cried out in triumph—“Oh!
ho! this is your mistaken notion of honour! This
is the boy who was not to be whipped again!”
But Mr Allworthy, with a more gentle aspect, turned
towards the lad, and said, “Is this true, child?
How came you to persist so obstinately in a falsehood?”
Tom said, “He scorned a lie as much as any one:
but he thought his honour engaged him to act as he
did; for he had promised the poor fellow to conceal
him: which,” he said, “he thought
himself farther obliged to, as the gamekeeper had
begged him not to go into the gentleman’s manor,
and had at last gone himself, in compliance with his
persuasions.” He said, “This was the
whole truth of the matter, and he would take his oath
of it;” and concluded with very passionately
begging Mr Allworthy “to have compassion on the
poor fellow’s family, especially as he himself
only had been guilty, and the other had been very
difficultly prevailed on to do what he did. Indeed,
sir,” said he, “it could hardly be called
a lie that I told; for the poor fellow was entirely
innocent of the whole matter. I should have gone
alone after the birds; nay, I did go at first, and
he only followed me to prevent more mischief.
Do, pray, sir, let me be punished; take my little
horse away again; but pray, sir, forgive poor George.”
Mr Allworthy hesitated a few moments, and then dismissed
the boys, advising them to live more friendly and
peaceably together.
The opinions of the divine and the philosopher concerning
the two boys; with some reasons for their opinions,
and other matters.
It is probable, that by disclosing this secret, which
had been communicated in the utmost confidence to
him, young Blifil preserved his companion from a good
lashing; for the offence of the bloody nose would
have been of itself sufficient cause for Thwackum to
have proceeded to correction; but now this was totally
absorbed in the consideration of the other matter;
and with regard to this, Mr Allworthy declared privately,
he thought the boy deserved reward rather than punishment,
so that Thwackum’s hand was withheld by a general
pardon.
