Chapter 37.00: Chapter v. — Containing matter accommodated to every taste.

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Chapter v. — Containing matter accommodated to every taste.
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“Parva leves capiunt animos—Small things affect light minds,”
was the sentiment of a great master of the passion of love. And certain it
is, that from this day Sophia began to have some little kindness for Tom
Jones, and no little aversion for his companion.

Many accidents from time to time improved both these passions in her
breast; which, without our recounting, the reader may well conclude, from
what we have before hinted of the different tempers of these lads, and how
much the one suited with her own inclinations more than the other. To say
the truth, Sophia, when very young, discerned that Tom, though an idle,
thoughtless, rattling rascal, was nobody's enemy but his own; and that
Master Blifil, though a prudent, discreet, sober young gentleman, was at
the same time strongly attached to the interest only of one single person;
and who that single person was the reader will be able to divine without
any assistance of ours.

These two characters are not always received in the world with the
different regard which seems severally due to either; and which one would
imagine mankind, from self-interest, should show towards them. But perhaps
there may be a political reason for it: in finding one of a truly
benevolent disposition, men may very reasonably suppose they have found a
treasure, and be desirous of keeping it, like all other good things, to
themselves. Hence they may imagine, that to trumpet forth the praises of
such a person, would, in the vulgar phrase, be crying Roast-meat, and
calling in partakers of what they intend to apply solely to their own use.
If this reason does not satisfy the reader, I know no other means of
accounting for the little respect which I have commonly seen paid to a
character which really does great honour to human nature, and is
productive of the highest good to society. But it was otherwise with
Sophia. She honoured Tom Jones, and scorned Master Blifil, almost as soon
as she knew the meaning of those two words.

Sophia had been absent upwards of three years with her aunt; during all
which time she had seldom seen either of these young gentlemen. She dined,
however, once, together with her aunt, at Mr Allworthy's. This was a few
days after the adventure of the partridge, before commemorated. Sophia
heard the whole story at table, where she said nothing: nor indeed could
her aunt get many words from her as she returned home; but her maid, when
undressing her, happening to say, “Well, miss, I suppose you have
seen young Master Blifil to-day?” she answered with much passion,
“I hate the name of Master Blifil, as I do whatever is base and
treacherous: and I wonder Mr Allworthy would suffer that old barbarous
schoolmaster to punish a poor boy so cruelly for what was only the effect
of his good-nature.” She then recounted the story to her maid, and
concluded with saying, “Don't you think he is a boy of noble spirit?”

This young lady was now returned to her father; who gave her the command
of his house, and placed her at the upper end of his table, where Tom (who
for his great love of hunting was become a great favourite of the squire)
often dined. Young men of open, generous dispositions are naturally
inclined to gallantry, which, if they have good understandings, as was in
reality Tom's case, exerts itself in an obliging complacent behaviour to
all women in general. This greatly distinguished Tom from the boisterous
brutality of mere country squires on the one hand, and from the solemn and
somewhat sullen deportment of Master Blifil on the other; and he began
now, at twenty, to have the name of a pretty fellow among all the women in
the neighbourhood.

Tom behaved to Sophia with no particularity, unless perhaps by showing her
a higher respect than he paid to any other. This distinction her beauty,
fortune, sense, and amiable carriage, seemed to demand; but as to design
upon her person he had none; for which we shall at present suffer the
reader to condemn him of stupidity; but perhaps we shall be able
indifferently well to account for it hereafter.

Sophia, with the highest degree of innocence and modesty, had a remarkable
sprightliness in her temper. This was so greatly increased whenever she
was in company with Tom, that had he not been very young and thoughtless,
he must have observed it: or had not Mr Western's thoughts been generally
either in the field, the stable, or the dog-kennel, it might have perhaps
created some jealousy in him: but so far was the good gentleman from
entertaining any such suspicions, that he gave Tom every opportunity with
his daughter which any lover could have wished; and this Tom innocently
improved to better advantage, by following only the dictates of his
natural gallantry and good-nature, than he might perhaps have done had he
had the deepest designs on the young lady.

But indeed it can occasion little wonder that this matter escaped the
observation of others, since poor Sophia herself never remarked it; and
her heart was irretrievably lost before she suspected it was in danger.

Matters were in this situation, when Tom, one afternoon, finding Sophia
alone, began, after a short apology, with a very serious face, to acquaint
her that he had a favour to ask of her which he hoped her goodness would
comply with.

Though neither the young man's behaviour, nor indeed his manner of opening
this business, were such as could give her any just cause of suspecting he
intended to make love to her; yet whether Nature whispered something into
her ear, or from what cause it arose I will not determine; certain it is,
some idea of that kind must have intruded itself; for her colour forsook
her cheeks, her limbs trembled, and her tongue would have faltered, had
Tom stopped for an answer; but he soon relieved her from her perplexity,
by proceeding to inform her of his request; which was to solicit her
interest on behalf of the gamekeeper, whose own ruin, and that of a large
family, must be, he said, the consequence of Mr Western's pursuing his
action against him.

Sophia presently recovered her confusion, and, with a smile full of
sweetness, said, “Is this the mighty favour you asked with so much
gravity? I will do it with all my heart. I really pity the poor fellow,
and no longer ago than yesterday sent a small matter to his wife.”
This small matter was one of her gowns, some linen, and ten shillings in
money, of which Tom had heard, and it had, in reality, put this
solicitation into his head.

Our youth, now, emboldened with his success, resolved to push the matter
farther, and ventured even to beg her recommendation of him to her
father's service; protesting that he thought him one of the honestest
fellows in the country, and extremely well qualified for the place of a
gamekeeper, which luckily then happened to be vacant.

Sophia answered, “Well, I will undertake this too; but I cannot
promise you as much success as in the former part, which I assure you I
will not quit my father without obtaining. However, I will do what I can
for the poor fellow; for I sincerely look upon him and his family as
objects of great compassion. And now, Mr Jones, I must ask you a favour.”

“A favour, madam!” cries Tom: “if you knew the pleasure
you have given me in the hopes of receiving a command from you, you would
think by mentioning it you did confer the greatest favour on me; for by
this dear hand I would sacrifice my life to oblige you.”

He then snatched her hand, and eagerly kissed it, which was the first time
his lips had ever touched her. The blood, which before had forsaken her
cheeks, now made her sufficient amends, by rushing all over her face and
neck with such violence, that they became all of a scarlet colour. She now
first felt a sensation to which she had been before a stranger, and which,
when she had leisure to reflect on it, began to acquaint her with some
secrets, which the reader, if he doth not already guess them, will know in
due time.

Sophia, as soon as she could speak (which was not instantly), informed him
that the favour she had to desire of him was, not to lead her father
through so many dangers in hunting; for that, from what she had heard, she
was terribly frightened every time they went out together, and expected
some day or other to see her father brought home with broken limbs. She
therefore begged him, for her sake, to be more cautious; and as he well
knew Mr Western would follow him, not to ride so madly, nor to take those
dangerous leaps for the future.

Tom promised faithfully to obey her commands; and after thanking her for
her kind compliance with his request, took his leave, and departed highly
charmed with his success.

Poor Sophia was charmed too, but in a very different way. Her sensations,
however, the reader's heart (if he or she have any) will better represent
than I can, if I had as many mouths as ever poet wished for, to eat, I
suppose, those many dainties with which he was so plentifully provided.

It was Mr Western's custom every afternoon, as soon as he was drunk, to
hear his daughter play on the harpsichord; for he was a great lover of
music, and perhaps, had he lived in town, might have passed for a
connoisseur; for he always excepted against the finest compositions of Mr
Handel. He never relished any music but what was light and airy; and
indeed his most favourite tunes were Old Sir Simon the King, St George he
was for England, Bobbing Joan, and some others.

His daughter, though she was a perfect mistress of music, and would never
willingly have played any but Handel‘s, was so devoted to her father’s
pleasure, that she learnt all those tunes to oblige him. However, she
would now and then endeavour to lead him into her own taste; and when he
required the repetition of his ballads, would answer with a “Nay,
dear sir;” and would often beg him to suffer her to play something
else.

This evening, however, when the gentleman was retired from his bottle, she
played all his favourites three times over without any solicitation. This
so pleased the good squire, that he started from his couch, gave his
daughter a kiss, and swore her hand was greatly improved. She took this
opportunity to execute her promise to Tom; in which she succeeded so well,
that the squire declared, if she would give him t'other bout of Old Sir
Simon, he would give the gamekeeper his deputation the next morning. Sir
Simon was played again and again, till the charms of the music soothed Mr
Western to sleep. In the morning Sophia did not fail to remind him of his
engagement; and his attorney was immediately sent for, ordered to stop any
further proceedings in the action, and to make out the deputation.

Tom's success in this affair soon began to ring over the country, and
various were the censures passed upon it; some greatly applauding it as an
act of good nature; others sneering, and saying, “No wonder that one
idle fellow should love another.” Young Blifil was greatly enraged
at it. He had long hated Black George in the same proportion as Jones
delighted in him; not from any offence which he had ever received, but
from his great love to religion and virtue;—for Black George had the
reputation of a loose kind of a fellow. Blifil therefore represented this
as flying in Mr Allworthy's face; and declared, with great concern, that
it was impossible to find any other motive for doing good to such a
wretch.

Thwackum and Square likewise sung to the same tune. They were now
(especially the latter) become greatly jealous of young Jones with the
widow; for he now approached the age of twenty, was really a fine young
fellow, and that lady, by her encouragements to him, seemed daily more and
more to think him so.

Allworthy was not, however, moved with their malice. He declared himself
very well satisfied with what Jones had done. He said the perseverance and
integrity of his friendship was highly commendable, and he wished he could
see more frequent instances of that virtue.

But Fortune, who seldom greatly relishes such sparks as my friend Tom,
perhaps because they do not pay more ardent addresses to her, gave now a
very different turn to all his actions, and showed them to Mr Allworthy in
a light far less agreeable than that gentleman's goodness had hitherto
seen them in.