Page:The history of Tom Jones (1749 Volume 2).pdf/149

 breaking thee Promies, it depended, whether he hould be the happiet, or the mot mierable of Womankind. And to be the Author of this highet Degree of Miery to a human Being, was a Thought on which he could not bear to ruminate a ingle Moment. He conidered this poor Girl as having acrificed to him every Thing in her little Power; as having been at her own Expence the Object of his Pleaure; as ighing and languihing for him even at that very Intant. Shall then, ays he, my Recovery, for which he hath o ardently wihed; hall my Preence which he hath o eagerly expected, intead of giving her that Joy with which he hath flattered herelf, cat her at once down into Miery and Dipair? Can I be uch a Villain? Here, when the Genius of poor Molly eem’d triumphant, the Love of Sophia towards him, which now appeared no longer dubious, ruhed upon his Mind, and bore away every Obtacle before it.

At length it occurred to him, that he might poibly be able to make Molly amends another Way; namely, by giving her a Sum of Money. This nevertheles, he almot depaired of her accepting, when he recollected the frequent and vehement