Tom Jones Book 6, Chapter 10

In Which Mr. Western Visits Mr. Allworthy

• Squire Western arrives at Squire Allworthy's house just after breakfast.
• Poor Squire Allworthy has just been feeling good about the world.
• So you can imagine that he's a bit surprised when Squire Western shouts out of the blue, "You have brought up your bastard to a fine purpose" (6.10.2).
• Squire Western screams that Tom has been "poaching after" (6.10.2) his daughter.
• Squire Western plans to lock up Sophia and make her marry Mr. Blifil.
• He runs back out of the house as suddenly as he came, afraid that his daughter will try to run away while his back is turned.
• Mr. Blifil is furious.
• He doesn't care about Sophia at all.
• But he really doesn't want Tom to beat him in her affections.
• Mr. Blifil jumps at the opportunity to badmouth Tom to Squire Allworthy.
• He tells Squire Allworthy about the fight between Tom and Misters Blifil and Thwackum
• He says that Tom attacked him and Mr. Thwackum unfairly (see Book 5, Chapter 11 for the real story).
• Squire Allworthy brings in Mr. Thwackum and asks if this is all true.
• Mr. Thwackum arrives and (of course) backs up everything terrible that Mr. Blifil says about Tom, the fight, and its causes.