LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS TOM JONES, VOL. III SHE GAVE A VIOLENT SCREAM, AND SCARCE PRESERVED HERSELF From a drawing by Borel (1788). 66 . Frontispiece PAGE THE PORTER SAID, HE HAD POSITIVE ORDERS TO LET NO From a drawing by Thomas Rowlandson. JONES FELL UPON HIS KNEES, AND BEGAN TO UTTER THE MOST From a drawing by M. Rooker (1783). THE DOOR FLEW OPEN, AND IN CAME SQUIRE WESTERN, WITH 36 97 157 From a drawing by Gravelot. AT THIS INSTANT WESTERN, WHO HAD STOOD SOME TIME LISTENING, BURST INTO THE ROOM From a painting by Downman (1789). 364 THE HISTORY OF TOM JONES: A FOUNDLING. CHAPTER XII. RELATES THAT MR. JONES CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY, CONTRARY ΤΟ THE ADVICE OF PARTRIDGE, WITH WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT OCCASION. THEY now discovered a light at some distance, to the great pleasure of Jones, and to the no small terror of Partridge, who firmly believed himself to be bewitched. But how were these fears increased, when, as they approached nearer to this light (or lights as they now appeared), they heard a confused sound of human voices; of singing, laughing, and hallooing, together with a strange noise that seemed to proceed from some instruments. It is impossible to conceive a much greater degree of horror than what now seized on Partridge, the contagion of which had reached the post-boy, who had been very attentive to many things that the other had uttered. He now, therefore, joined in petitioning Jones to return, saying he firmly believed what Partridge had just before said, that though the horses seemed to go on, they had not moved a step forwards during at least the last half-hour. Jones could not help smiling in the midst of his vexation, at the fears of these poor fellows. "Either we ad vance," says he, "towards the lights or the lights have advanced towards us; for we are now at a very little distance from them; but how can either of you be afraid of a set of people who appear only to be merry-making?" "Merry-making, sir?" cries Partridge; "who could be merry-making at this time of night, and in such a place, and such weather? They can be nothing but ghosts or witches, or some evil spirits or other, that's certain. "Let them be what they will," cries Jones, "I am resolved to go up to them, and inquire the way to Coventry." "O Lord, sir," cries Partridge, "there is no knowing what humor they will be in; to be sure it is always best to be civil to them; but what if we should meet with something worse than witches, with evil spirits themselves? Pray, sir, be advised; pray, sir, do. If you had read so many terrible accounts as I have of these matters, you would not be so foolhardy. The Lord knows whither we have got already, or whither we are going." Jones put forward as fast as he could, notwithstanding all these hints and cautions, and poor Partridge was obliged to follow; for though he hardly dared to advance, he dared still less to stay behind by himself. At length they arrived at the place whence the lights and different noises had issued. This Jones perceived to be no other than a barn, where a great number of men and women were assembled, and diverting themselves with much apparent jollity. Jones no sooner appeared before the great doors of the barn, which were open, than a masculine and very rough voice from within demanded who was there? To which Jones gently answered, a friend; and immediately asked the road to Coventry. "If you are a friend," cries another of the men in the barn, "you had better alight till the storm is over" (for indeed it was now more violent than ever); "you are very welcome to put up your horse, for there is sufficient room for him at the end of the barn.” "You are very obliging," returned Jones; " and I will accept your offer for a few minutes, whilst the rain continues; and here are two more who will be glad of the same favor." This was accorded with more good-will than it was accepted for Partridge would rather have submitted to the utmost inclemency of the weather than have trusted to the clemency of those whom he took for hobgoblins; and the poor post-boy was now infected with the same apprehensions; but they were both obliged to follow the example of Jones; the one because he durst not leave his horse, and the other because he feared nothing so much as being left by himself. Had this history been writ in the days of superstition, I should have had too much compassion for the reader to have left him so long in suspense, whether Beelzebub or Satan was about actually to appear in person, with all his hellish retinue; but as these doctrines are at present very unfortunate, and have but few, if any, believers, I have not been much aware of conveying any such terrors. To say truth, the whole furniture of the infernal regions hath long been appropriated by the managers of playhouses, who seem lately to have lain them by as rubbish, capable only of affecting the upper gallery; a place in which few of our readers ever sit. However, though we do not suspect raising any great terror on this occasion, we have reason to fear some other apprehensions may here arise in our reader, into which we would not willingly betray him; I mean that we are going to take a voyage into fairy-land, and to introduce a set of beings into our history which scarce any one was ever childish enough to believe, though many have been foolish enough to spend their time in writing and reading their ad ventures. |