The Arrival of Mr. Western, With Some Matters Concerning the Paternal Authority
Squire Western comes striding in, angry as always.
He tells Squire Allworthy that, all of this time, they have been worrying about Tom, when really, they should have been worrying about some lord.
Squire Western went to see his sister the night before.
He found her surrounded by ladies, including Lady Bellaston.
The ladies swooped in and told him that he should engage Sophia to Lord Fellamar.
Squire Allworthy offers to break off the engagement between Sophia and Mr. Blifil.
Squire Allworthy sees that Sophia really, truly does not want to marry Mr. Blifil.
It makes him sad, but he refuses to agree to their marriage under these circumstances.
Squire Western refuses not to consent to it. By which we mean, he absolutely insists that it go forward.
Mr. Blifil jumps in: certainly, it's wrong to use violence to get a woman to marry you.
But is it wrong to keep working at it (nonviolently, of course) until she agrees?
After all, he doesn't think she wants to marry Lord Fellamar, either.
She still wants to marry Tom, "that wickedest of men" (17.3.17).
Squire Allworthy gives Mr. Blifil permission to write and visit Sophia, but he won't have her locked up or any of the crazy things Squire Western has been up to.
Squire Western, meanwhile, is dancing around the room with happiness that Tom is about to be hanged.
After Squire Western is gone, Squire Allworthy advises Mr. Blifil to give up on Sophia.