Chapter 2 The Shame of Mr Partridge
Mr Allworthy's house and his heart were open to all men, but
particularly to men of learning. Though he had not had the
advantage of a good education, he had made up for this through
wide reading and conversation. Well-educated men were always
welcome at his table.
One guest of this kind was Captain Blifil. This gentleman was
about thirty-five years of age. After a good education he had joined
the king's army, but recently he had left the army and had come to
Somerset to live a quiet country life. He liked to study the Bible.
Miss Bridget had read many books about religion, and she
often talked to the captain on this subject. Her conversation was
so pure, her looks so wise and her manner so serious that she
seemed like a saint. Yet soon the captain could see that she was
falling in love with him.
Everyone will fall in love once in their lives, and there is no
particular age for this, but at Miss Bridget's age love is serious and
steady. It was not the captain's body, which was big and rough,
nor his face, which was covered up to his eyes by a black beard,
but his conversation which charmed her.
As soon as the captain saw this, he returned her affections. To
be plain, he was already in love with Mr Allworthy's house,
gardens, villages and farms. His sister was no beauty, but as Mr
Allworthy had no son, the captain would marry Miss Bridget
even if she was the ugliest woman in the world. And, in less than
a month, he did just that.
Mr Allworthy did not object to the marriage.
'My sister is many years younger than me,' he thought, 'but she
is old enough to make her own decisions. He is a gentleman, and
though he is not perhaps her equal in fortune, he is a man of
sense and honour, and I have nothing against him. I do not doubt
that they love each other, and love is the best basis for marriage.'
•
Reader, this is not a newspaper, consisting of just the same
number of words whether there be any news in it or not. In these
5
pages you will find only the important events, so do not be
surprised if sometimes time seems to stand still, and sometimes to
fly. We fly now to the time when a fine son was born to Captain
and Mrs Blifil.
Though the birth of a son to his dear sister gave great joy to
Mr Allworthy, it did not take away his love for the abandoned
child to whom he was now godfather. He continued to visit little
Tom at least once a day in his room.
Mr Allworthy suggested to his sister that the two boys be
raised together in his house. Mrs Blifil agreed, but Captain Blifil
was not so easily pleased. He liked to use Bible texts to tell Mr
Allworthy that bastard children should be punished. Mr
Allworthy disagreed. He said that however guilty the parents
might be, their children were certainly innocent, and God would
not punish the innocent.
While Captain Blifil was becoming more and more jealous of
Mr Allworthy's love for little Tom, Mrs Wilkins made a discovery.
She believed she now knew the name of Tom's father.
•
My reader may remember that Jenny Jones had lived for some
years with a certain schoolmaster. His name was Partridge, and he
was a pleasant, humorous fellow, but his wife was not. Perhaps
this was because, after nine years of marriage, she was still
childless.
Mrs Partridge, a jealous woman, had chosen Jenny Jones to be
her servant because she was plain, and Jenny lived quietly in their
house for more than four years, doing her work and learning
Latin from Mr Partridge.
Then, one day, Mrs Partridge saw Jenny sitting closely with her
husband studying their books, and suddenly her jealous thoughts
began. They were fed by small suspicions, one after another, and
soon she lost her temper and ordered Jenny to leave the house.
6
Mr Partridge, who was afraid of his wife, said nothing, and
soon the house was calm again. Mrs Partridge loved her husband
and she might have forgotten all about it, but some months later
she heard news of Jenny from the village gossips.
'She's had two bastard babies,' they said. 'Their father must be
from here, because it's less than nine months since she left the
village.'
Mrs Partridge was shocked, and all her jealousy returned. She
was convinced of her husband's guilt, and went straight home.
The fight which followed was furious. Mrs Partridge attacked her
husband with tongue, teeth and hands. Though Partridge did
nothing, there was soon blood on both of them. The neighbours
came to watch, and soon everyone was saying that Mr Partridge
had beaten his wife most cruelly.
The cause of this quarrel was reported in various ways. Some
said one thing, others said another, and it was a long time before
Mrs Wilkins heard the true reason. When she did, she told
Captain Blifil. The captain told Mr Allworthy and Mr Allworthy
sent Mrs Wilkins to find Mr Partridge. Though he lived fifteen
miles away, Mrs Wilkins went quickly, and brought back the
schoolmaster and his wife.
•
Mr Allworthy began the trial immediately, and it took three days.
On the first day, Partridge declared his innocence, but his wife
gave all the reasons why she thought him guilty. Partridge was
silent, until at last he asked Mr Allworthy to send for Jenny Jones.
Mr Allworthy sent a messenger to get Jenny, who now lived a
whole day's journey from his house. On the third day everyone
came to hear Mr Allworthy's judgement.
Unfortunately, the messenger had returned without Jenny. She
had left her new home just a few days earlier, in the company of
a soldier.
7
Mr Allworthy's good opinion of Jenny was now lost for ever.
He listened again to Mrs Partridge, who now swore she had
discovered her husband and Jenny in bed together, and then he
found poor Mr Partridge guilty.
Mr Partridge lost his little school, and soon he lost his wife too
for she died suddenly. Though the villagers now began to feel
sorry for him, he decided to go away.
•
Although Mr Allworthy had punished the father, he grew fonder
of little Tommy. This did not please Captain Blifil, who saw every
example of Mr Allworthy's generosity to others as his own loss.
The captain's greatest pleasure was planning what to do with
Mr Allworthy's wealth. He fully expected Mr Allworthy to die
soon, leaving his wealth to his sister's son. The captain wanted to
make great changes to the house and park, and he spent many
hours reading about architecture and gardening. But Fortune was
unkind to him. The unlucky captain died first, of a sudden and
unexpected accident.
Chapter 2 The Shame of Mr PartridgeMr Allworthy's house and his heart were open to all men, butparticularly to men of learning. Though he had not had theadvantage of a good education, he had made up for this throughwide reading and conversation. Well-educated men were alwayswelcome at his table.One guest of this kind was Captain Blifil. This gentleman wasabout thirty-five years of age. After a good education he had joinedthe king's army, but recently he had left the army and had come toSomerset to live a quiet country life. He liked to study the Bible.Miss Bridget had read many books about religion, and sheoften talked to the captain on this subject. Her conversation wasso pure, her looks so wise and her manner so serious that sheseemed like a saint. Yet soon the captain could see that she wasfalling in love with him.Everyone will fall in love once in their lives, and there is noparticular age for this, but at Miss Bridget's age love is serious andsteady. It was not the captain's body, which was big and rough,nor his face, which was covered up to his eyes by a black beard,but his conversation which charmed her.As soon as the captain saw this, he returned her affections. Tobe plain, he was already in love with Mr Allworthy's house,gardens, villages and farms. His sister was no beauty, but as MrAllworthy had no son, the captain would marry Miss Bridgeteven if she was the ugliest woman in the world. And, in less thana month, he did just that.Mr Allworthy did not object to the marriage.'My sister is many years younger than me,' he thought, 'but sheis old enough to make her own decisions. He is a gentleman, andthough he is not perhaps her equal in fortune, he is a man ofsense and honour, and I have nothing against him. I do not doubtthat they love each other, and love is the best basis for marriage.'•Reader, this is not a newspaper, consisting of just the samenumber of words whether there be any news in it or not. In these5pages you will find only the important events, so do not besurprised if sometimes time seems to stand still, and sometimes tofly. We fly now to the time when a fine son was born to Captainand Mrs Blifil.Though the birth of a son to his dear sister gave great joy toMr Allworthy, it did not take away his love for the abandonedchild to whom he was now godfather. He continued to visit littleTom at least once a day in his room.Mr Allworthy suggested to his sister that the two boys beraised together in his house. Mrs Blifil agreed, but Captain Blifilwas not so easily pleased. He liked to use Bible texts to tell MrAllworthy that bastard children should be punished. MrAllworthy disagreed. He said that however guilty the parentsmight be, their children were certainly innocent, and God wouldnot punish the innocent.While Captain Blifil was becoming more and more jealous ofMr Allworthy's love for little Tom, Mrs Wilkins made a discovery.She believed she now knew the name of Tom's father.•My reader may remember that Jenny Jones had lived for someyears with a certain schoolmaster. His name was Partridge, and hewas a pleasant, humorous fellow, but his wife was not. Perhapsthis was because, after nine years of marriage, she was stillchildless.Mrs Partridge, a jealous woman, had chosen Jenny Jones to beher servant because she was plain, and Jenny lived quietly in theirhouse for more than four years, doing her work and learningLatin from Mr Partridge.Then, one day, Mrs Partridge saw Jenny sitting closely with herhusband studying their books, and suddenly her jealous thoughtsbegan. They were fed by small suspicions, one after another, andsoon she lost her temper and ordered Jenny to leave the house.6Mr Partridge, who was afraid of his wife, said nothing, andsoon the house was calm again. Mrs Partridge loved her husbandand she might have forgotten all about it, but some months latershe heard news of Jenny from the village gossips.'She's had two bastard babies,' they said. 'Their father must befrom here, because it's less than nine months since she left thevillage.'Mrs Partridge was shocked, and all her jealousy returned. Shewas convinced of her husband's guilt, and went straight home.The fight which followed was furious. Mrs Partridge attacked herhusband with tongue, teeth and hands. Though Partridge didnothing, there was soon blood on both of them. The neighbourscame to watch, and soon everyone was saying that Mr Partridgehad beaten his wife most cruelly.The cause of this quarrel was reported in various ways. Somesaid one thing, others said another, and it was a long time beforeMrs Wilkins heard the true reason. When she did, she toldCaptain Blifil. The captain told Mr Allworthy and Mr Allworthysent Mrs Wilkins to find Mr Partridge. Though he lived fifteenmiles away, Mrs Wilkins went quickly, and brought back theschoolmaster and his wife.•Mr Allworthy began the trial immediately, and it took three days.On the first day, Partridge declared his innocence, but his wifegave all the reasons why she thought him guilty. Partridge wassilent, until at last he asked Mr Allworthy to send for Jenny Jones.Mr Allworthy sent a messenger to get Jenny, who now lived awhole day's journey from his house. On the third day everyonecame to hear Mr Allworthy's judgement.Unfortunately, the messenger had returned without Jenny. Shehad left her new home just a few days earlier, in the company ofa soldier.7Mr Allworthy's good opinion of Jenny was now lost for ever.He listened again to Mrs Partridge, who now swore she haddiscovered her husband and Jenny in bed together, and then hefound poor Mr Partridge guilty.Mr Partridge lost his little school, and soon he lost his wife toofor she died suddenly. Though the villagers now began to feelsorry for him, he decided to go away.•Although Mr Allworthy had punished the father, he grew fonderof little Tommy. This did not please Captain Blifil, who saw everyexample of Mr Allworthy's generosity to others as his own loss.The captain's greatest pleasure was planning what to do withMr Allworthy's wealth. He fully expected Mr Allworthy to diesoon, leaving his wealth to his sister's son. The captain wanted tomake great changes to the house and park, and he spent manyhours reading about architecture and gardening. But Fortune wasunkind to him. The unlucky captain died first, of a sudden andunexpected accident.
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