 endeavour to deserve this good Opinion; for if
I have the Understanding you are so kindly pleased to allow me, such Advice
cannot be thrown away upon me. I thank you, Sir, heartily, for your intended
Kindness to my poor helpless Child; he is innocent, and I hope will live to be
grateful for all the Favours you shall shew him. But now, Sir, I must on my
Knees intreat you, not to persist in asking me to declare the Father of my
Infant. I promise you faithfully, you shall one Day know; but I am under the
most solemn Ties and Engagements of Honour, as well as the most religious Vows
and Protestations, to conceal his Name at this Time. And I know you too well to
think you would desire I should sacrifice either my Honour, or my Religion.«
    Mr. Allworthy, whom the least Mention of those sacred Words was sufficient
to stagger, hesitated a Moment before he replied, and then told her she had done
wrong to enter into such Engagements to a Villain; but since she had, he could
not insist on her breaking them. He said, it was not from a Motive of vain
Curiosity he had enquired, but in order to punish the Fellow; at least, that he
might not ignorantly confer Favours on the Undeserving.
    As to these Points, Jenny satisfied him by the most solemn Assurances, that
the Man was entirely out of his Reach, and was neither subject to his Power, nor
in any probability of becoming an Object of his Goodness.
    The Ingenuity of this Behaviour, had gained Jenny so much Credit with this
worthy Man, that he easily believed what she told him: For as she had disdained
to excuse herself by a Lie, and had hazarded his farther Displeasure in her
present Situation, rather than she would forfeit her Honour, or Integrity, by
betraying another, he had but little Apprehension that she would be guilty of
Falshood towards himself.
    He therefore dismissed her with Assurances, that he would very soon remove
her out of the Reach of that Obloquy she had incurred, concluding with some
additional Documents, in which he recommended Repentance, saying, »Consider,
Child, there is one still to reconcile yourself to, whose Favour is of much
greater Importance to you than mine.«
 

                                  Chapter VIII

A Dialogue between Mesdames Bridget, and Deborah; containing more Amusement, but
                       less Instruction than the former.
 
When Mr. Allworthy had retired to his Study with Jenny Jones, as hath been seen,
Miss Bridget, with the good Housekeeper, had betaken themselves to a Post next
adjoining
