Chapter 7 Mr Allworthy Falls Ill
Mr Allworthy was sick. This was the news that Tom received.
How sick? The doctor said he was in very serious danger.
Mr Allworthy did not fear death. He now prepared himself
calmly, and called his family to him. Everyone was there except
his sister, Mrs Blifil, who was in London, and Tom, who rushed
back from Mr Western's house immediately.
When the family and the servants were gathered around his
bed, the good man spoke, but Blifil began to cry.
Taking Blifil's hand, Mr Allworthy said, 'Do not cry, my dear
child. No one can escape death, and it does not matter when
death comes. Life is like a party, which some leave early, and some
leave later. There is little difference. Now, I wish to mention my
will. Nephew Blifil, I leave you all my lands and property. To your
mother I leave five hundred pounds a year, and the same amount
to you, Mr Jones.'
Tom knelt beside the bed, took his godfather's hand and
thanked him for his goodness both now and at all other times.
'Oh my friend! My father!' he said, then hot tears came into his
eyes and he turned away.
'Mr Thwackum, I have given you a thousand pounds, and the
same sum to you, Mr Square. I am sure this is more than you
desire, but it is a sign of my friendship. My servants will share
three thousand pounds. Now I find myself growing faint, so let
me rest.'
Just then a servant came into the room and said there was a
lawyer from London waiting downstairs with a message. Mr
Allworthy sent Blifil to see him, and quietly fell asleep. Tom
stayed in the room to watch over him.
Mr Thwackum and Mr Square left the room, looking
unhappy. Perhaps they had expected more money. Blifil returned
with a very sad face, and told them that his mother had died. 'You
23
must bear this sad loss like a Christian,' advised Thwackum. 'Like
a man,' said Square.
The doctor joined them, and they discussed whether to
inform Mr Allworthy about the death of his sister. The doctor
said no, but Blifil disagreed, so together they went to the
sickroom to wake Mr Allworthy.
First the doctor checked the patient, and found him much
better. Perhaps the danger was passing. Mr Allworthy opened his
eyes, and heard the sad news from Blifil. He asked to see the
lawyer, but Blifil said he had left in a great hurry to go
somewhere else. Then Mr Allworthy asked Blifil to take care of
his mother's funeral.
After dinner, when the doctor reported that the patient was
now out of danger, Tom got wildly and happily drunk.
•
Later, when Tom was still a little drunk, he decided to cool
himself in the open air before returning to Mr Allworthy. It was
a pleasant summer evening, made for love. Our hero walked
beside a stream, thinking about his dear Sophia. Soon he threw
himself on the ground and said: 'Oh Sophia. I will always love
you, and you alone. If cruel Fortune separates us I will never love
another.'
At these words he jumped up and saw — not his Sophia. No.
Dressed in dirty clothes after a day's work in the fields, Molly
Seagrim approached.
They started to speak, but I will not say what words. It is
enough that they talked for a full quarter of an hour, and then
disappeared among the trees.
Some of my readers might be surprised. But I suggest that
Tom probably thought one woman better than none, and Molly
probably imagined two men to be better than one.
Just then, Blifil and Mr Thwackum, who were taking a walk,
24
caught sight of the lovers as they disappeared.
'It's a man and a wicked woman,' cried Blifil.
They chased after the couple, making such a noise that Tom
heard them. He leaped out from behind the trees.
'Is it you?' Thwackum said in a voice like thunder.
'Yes, it is me,' said Tom.
'And who is that wicked woman with you?'
'If I have any wicked woman with me, I will certainly not tell
you who she is,' cried Tom.
'Then I must tell you plainly, I will discover her,' said
Thwackum, moving forward.
'And I must tell you plainly, you will not,' said Tom.
With that, a great fight began. Blifil came forward to help, and
Tom knocked him to the ground. Thwackum, who was a strong
man and a champion fighter in his youth, attacked Tom furiously.
Blifil got up again, and now the two together attacked our hero
who, you may remember, was still weak from his broken arm.
Suddenly a fourth person joined in, shouting, 'Are you not
ashamed to fight two against one?'
For a second time Tom knocked Blifil to the ground, and
Thwackum attacked the newcomer, whom he now recognized.
It was Mr Western. With his help, Tom won the day.
Mr Western's riding companions now arrived. They were the
honest priest, Supple, Mrs Western, the aunt of Sophia, and the
lovely Sophia herself. This is what they saw. In one place, Blifil lay
on the ground, pale and breathless. Near him stood Tom, covered
in blood. Some was his own, and some was once owned by
Thwackum. Thwackum himself was there, looking badtempered.
The last figure in the scene was Western the Great,
standing proudly over everyone.
Everyone rushed to Blifil, who showed little sign of life. Then
suddenly, a lovelier object lay lifeless on the ground. Sophia,
perhaps at the sight of blood, had fainted.
25
Sophia opened her eyes and cried, 'Oh, heavens,' just as her father, her
aunt and the priest rushed up.
Mrs Western saw her, and screamed. Immediately, two or three
voices cried out, 'Miss Western is dead.'
Tom, who was trying to help Blifil, flew to Sophia, lifted her
in his arms and ran over the field to the stream, where he threw
water over her face, head and neck. Sophia opened her eyes and
cried, 'Oh, heavens,' just as her father, her aunt and the priest
rushed up.
This tragic scene now became a scene of joy. Mr Western
kissed Sophia, and then Tom. There was nothing he would not
give him, except his dogs and his two favourite horses.
Tom washed in the stream, and Sophia sighed when she saw
the black and blue marks caused by Thwackum.
Then Western discovered the reason for the fight.
'What? Were you fighting for a woman?' he laughed. 'Where
is she? Show me, Tom.' But Molly had crept away.
'Come gentlemen,' said Western. 'Be friends. Come home
with me and make peace over a bottle.'
Thwackum and Blifil refused, but Tom and the priest followed
Mr Western and his ladies home for an evening of joy and good
humour.