A difference1 arising at play between the two lads, Master Blifil called Tom a beggarly wretch.2 Upon which the latter, who was somewhat passionate in his disposition,3 immediately caused that phenomenon in the face of the former, which we have above mentioned.4 Master Blifil now, with the blood running from his nose, and the tears galloping after from his eyes,5 appeared before his uncle and the tremendous Thwackum; in which court an indictment of an assault, battery, and wounding, was instantly preferred against Tom," who, in his excuse, only pleaded the provocation, which was, indeed, all the matter that Master Blifil had omitted. It is, indeed, possible that this circumstance might have escaped his memory ;7 for, in his reply, he positively insisted that he had made use of no such appellation; adding, "Heaven forbid such naughty words should ever come out of my mouth." Tom, though against all form of law, rejoined in the affirmance of the words.10 Upon which Master Blifil said, "It is no wonder. Those who will tell one fib, will hardly stick at another. 11 If I had told 12 my master such a wicked fib as you have done,13 I should be ashamed to show face." 14 my "What fib, child?" cries Thwackum, pretty eagerly. 66 Why he told you that nobody was with him a shooting when he killed 15 the partridge; but he knows," (here he 1 différend, in the sense of 'dis- fût sortie de la (page 10, note 10) pute, quarrel.' mémoire. 8 A Dieu ne plaise (see page 51, note 1). 2 vilain gueux. 3 qui était un peu emporté de sa nature; or, qui avait souvent la tête un peu près du bonnet (fam.). le phénomène susmentionné. 5 le nez ruisselant de sang et les yeux ruisselants de pleurs, à qui mieux mieux. • tribunal ou fut déposée (see page 6, note 3, and page 27, note 13) aussitôt contre Tom une plainte d'attaque, voies de fait et blessure. Put a full stop here, and begin, Celui-ci. 7 eût (subjunc., after possible) échappé de sa mémoire; or, lui Translate, 'should ever have come out' (the compound of the present subjunctive, in French); see page 116, note i 10 renouvela ses affirmations. 11 quand on a menti une fois on ne craint guère de mentir deux. 12 We say, in French, faire, as well as dire, un mensonge. 13 wicked,' impudent, here.-'as you have done;' simply, que le vôtre. 14 de me montrer. 15 Leave out why.'-Translate, 'when he has killed.' I 66 burst into a flood of tears,)1 yes, he knows, for he confessed it to me, that Black George, the gamekeeper, was there. Nay, he said-yes, you did-deny it if you can,3 that you would not have confessed the truth, though master had cut you to pieces."4 6 8 At this the fire flashed from Thwackum's eyes, and he cried out in triumph, "Oh! oh! this is your mistaken notion of honour! This is the boy who was not to be whipped again !"7 But Mr. Allworthy, with a more gentle aspect, turned towards the lad, and said, "Is this true, child? How came you to persist so obstinately in a falsehood?” Tom said, "He scorned a lie as much as any one; but he thought his honour engaged him to act as he did; for he had promised the poor fellow to conceal him ;10 which," he said, "he thought himself further obliged to do, as 11 the gamekeeper had begged him not to go into the gentleman's manor,12 and had, at last, gone himself in compliance with his persuasions." 13 He said, "This was the whole truth of the matter, 14 and he would take his oath 15 of it ;" and he concluded with very passionately begging Mr. Allworthy to have compassion on 16 the fellow's poor 17 family, especially as he himself only had been 18 guilty, and the other had been with difficulty prevailed on to do what he did. "In 1 éclata en sanglots. 2 Même il a dit, - oui, vous l'avez dit. See page 15, note 9, and page 44, note 3. French writers often dispense, however, with le, in such cases: taste and euphony must decide the propriety of its use or omission here the use of this pronoun would be inelegant, on account of its repetition at so short an interval. 4 quand notre maître vous aurait mis en pièces. 5 A ces mots. Strange enough, we here use mots, and yet, in these words' would be en ces termes (not mots). 6 voilà votre fausse idée. page 97, note 8. See à qui il ne fallait plus donner le fouet. deed, sir,” said he, "it could hardly be called a lie that I told; for the poor fellow was entirely innocent of the whole matter. I should have gone3 alone after the birds; nay, I did go at first, and he only followed me to prevent more mischief. Do pray,5 sir, let me be punished; take my little horse away again; but, pray, sir, forgive poor George." זיי Mr. Allworthy hesitated a few moments, and then dismissed the boys, advising them to live more friendly and peaceably together.-(FIELDING.) SOPHIA'S LITTLE BIRD. 8 TOM JONES, when very young, had presented Sophia with a little bird, which he had taken from 10 the nest, had nursed up, and taught to sing.11 Of this bird, Sophia, then about thirteen years old, was so extremely fond,12 that her chief business was to feed and tend it, and her chief pleasure to play with it. By these means Tommy (for so the bird was called) 13 was become so tame, that it would feed out of 14 the hand of its mistress, would perch upon her finger, and lie contented 15 in her bosom, where it seemed sensible of its own happiness ; 16 though she always kept a small string about its leg,17 1 Translate, what I have told can hardly be called (page 8, note 6, page 9, note, page 104, note 12; and others) a lie.' 2 Leave out of the whole matter.' 3 Use courir (to run), here. 4 et même je l'ai fait. 5 Do, pray,' Je vous en prie. 6 ce soit moi qui sois puni. que 7 The verb pardonner requires the accusative (objective case) of the thing governed, but the dative (prep. d, expressed or implied) of the noun of the person who is the "regimen;" ex., pardonnez à vos ennemis le mal qu'ils vous ont fait. See page 29, note 9. 11 See page 60, note 3. 12 Sophie, qui avait alors environ treize ans, aimait si passionnément cet oiseau. 13 (c'était le nom de l'oiseau). 14 See page 45, note, and pago 61, note 15 et dormait tranquillement. 16 Put a full stop here (see page 24, note 19); and begin Cependant. 17 about,' d. -'its leg;' see page 10, note 10. nor would ever trust it with the liberty of flying away. One day, when Mr. Allworthy and his whole family dined at Mr. Western's, 3 Master Blifil, being in the garden with little Sophia, and observing the extreme fondness that she showed for her little bird, desired her to trust it for a moment in his hands. Sophia presently 5 complied with the young gentleman's request, and after some previous caution delivered him her bird; of which he was no sooner in possession, than he slipped the string from its leg, and tossed it into the air. The foolish animal no sooner perceived itself at liberty, than, forgetting all the favours it had received from Sophia, flew directly from her, and perched on a bough at some distance. 8 Sophia, seeing her bird gone, screamed out so loud,9 that Tom Jones, who was at a little distance, immediately ran 10 to her assistance. He was no sooner informed of what had happened, 11 than he cursed Blifil for a pitiful malicious rascal;12 and then immediately stripping off his coat, he ap 1 'nor; see page 14, note 13. would see page 45, note 4'to trust with,' laisser. 2 que; see page 18, note 10. chez M. Western. See page 78. note 5. running, and is also used when the point to be reached is not the one on which the mind is dwelling; thus, if, instead of reading about Sophia, and the spot where she was with her bird, we had been entertained with an account of Tom Jones, of his sayings and doings, and of the particular spot where he was, we should have used &c. dès qu'il courir, in our translation, for the point to be reached by him would then have been the farther of the two in our minds. 4 to trust it... in his hands; translate, 'to entrust it to him' &c. 5 Leave out presently.' 6 of which' l'eut, il fit glisser. 7 See page 32, note 4. 8 See page 60, note 11. 9 si fort. We use fort more commonly with crier, and always haut with parler, lire, &c. 10 Use here the verb accourir (Latin, ad and currere), not courir: the former generally implies running towards a particular point on which the mind is dwelling, while the latter expresses the mere act of 11 Remember that some neuter verbs, like arriver ('to happen,' and also 'to arrive'), venir, devenir, tomber, &c., are conjugated, in their compound tenses, with the auxiliary être, not with avoir. See page 66, note 12, 12 traita B- de misérable méchant drôle. plied himself to climbing the tree to which the bird escaped.2 Tom had almost recovered his little namesake, when the branch on which it was perched, and that hung over a canal, broke, and the poor lad plunged over head and ears into the water.5 6 Sophia's concern now changed its object, and, as she apprehended the boy's life was in danger, she screamed ten times louder than before; and indeed Master Blifil himself now seconded her with all the vociferation in his power.7 The company, who were sittings in a room next the garden, were instantly alarmed, and came all forth;9 but just as 10 they reached the canal, Tom (for the water was luckily pretty shallow in that part) arrived safely on shore.11 Thwackum fell 12 violently on 13 poor Tom, who stood dripping and shivering before him, when Mr. Allworthy desired him to have 14 patience; and turning to Master Blifil, said, "Pray, child, what is the reason of all this disturbance ?" Master Blifil answered, "Indeed, uncle, 15 I am very sorry for what I have done. I have been unhappily the occasion of it all.16 I had Miss Sophia's bird in my hand, and thinking the poor creature languished for liberty, I own I could not forbear giving it what it desired, for I always thought there was something very cruel in confining anything.17 It seemed to be against the law of |