It was just at this time that Mr. Allworthy, consenting to his nephew once more offering himself to Sophia, came with Blifil to his accustomed lodgings in Bond Street.  Mrs. Miller, to whom Jones had showed many kindnesses, at once put in a good word for the unfortunate young man; and, on Blifil exulting over the manslaughter Jones was alleged to have committed, declared that the wounded man, whoever he was, was in fault.  This, indeed, was shortly afterwards corroborated by Fitzpatrick himself, who acknowledged his mistake.

But it was not till Mr. Allworthy discovered that Blifil had been arranging with a lawyer to get the men who had arrested Jones to bear false witness, and learnt further that Tom Jones was his sister Bridget’s child, and that on her death-bed Mrs. Blifil’s message to her brother confessing the fact had been suppressed by her son, that his old feelings of affection for Tom Jones returned.  Before setting out to visit Jones in the prison Mr. Allworthy called on Sophia to inform her that he regretted Blifil had ever been encouraged to give her annoyance, and that Mr. Jones was his nephew and his heir.

Men over-violent in their dispositions are, for the most part, as changeable in them.  No sooner was Western informed of Mr. Allworthy’s intention to make Jones his heir than he joined heartily with the uncle in every commendation of the nephew, and became as eager for his daughter’s marriage with Jones as he had before been to couple her to Blifil.

Fitzpatrick being recovered of his wound, and admitting the aggression, Jones was released from custody and returned to his lodgings to meet Mr. Allworthy.

It is impossible to conceive a more tender or moving scene than this meeting between the uncle and nephew.  Allworthy received Jones into his arms.  “O my child!” he cried, “how have I been to blame!  How have I injured you!  What amends can I ever make you for those unkind suspicions which I have entertained, and for all the sufferings they have occasioned you?”

“Am I not now made amends?” cried Jones.  “Would not my sufferings, had they been ten times greater, have been now richly repaid?”

Here the conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Western, who could no longer be kept away even by the authority of Allworthy himself.  Western immediately went up to Jones, crying out, “My old friend Tom, I am glad to see thee, with all my heart.  All past must be forgotten.  Come along with me; I’ll carry thee to thy mistress this moment.”

Here Allworthy interposed; and the squire was obliged to consent to delay introducing Jones to Sophia till the afternoon.

Blifil, now thoroughly exposed in his treachery, was at first sullen and silent, balancing in his mind whether he should yet deny all; but finding at last the evidence too strong against him, betook himself to confession, and was now as remarkably mean as he had been before remarkably wicked.  Mr. Allworthy subsequently settled L200 a year upon him, to which Jones hath privately added a third.  Upon this income Blifil lives in one of the northern counties.  He is also lately turned Methodist, in hopes of marrying a very rich widow of that sect.  Sophia would not at first permit any promise of an immediate engagement with Jones because of certain stories of his inconstancy, but Mr. Western refused to hear of any delay.