Eyes, and be comforted; for wherever ſhe went, he would accompany her. Then turning to the Conſtable, who ſtood trembling with his Hat off, he deſired him, in a very mild Voice, to return with him for a Moment only to his Father, (ſo he now called Allworthy) for he durſt, he ſaid, be aſſured, that when he had alledged what he had to ſay in her Favour, the Girl would be diſcharged.
The Conſtable, who, I make no Doubt, would have ſurrendered his Priſoner, had Tom demanded her, very readily conſented to this Requeſt. So back they all went into Mr. Allworthy’s Hall; where Tom deſired them to ſtay till his Return, and then went himſelf in Purſuit of the Good Man. As ſoon as he was found, Tom threw himſelf at his Feet, and having begged a patient Hearing, confeſſed himſelf to be the Father of the Child, of which Molly was then big. He entreated him to have Compaſſion on the poor Girl, and to conſider, if there was any Guilt in the Caſe, it lay principally at his Door.
‘If there is any Guilt in the Caſe!’ anſwered Allworthy warmly, ‘are you then ſo profligate and abandoned a Libertine,‘to
