The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

330 TOBIAS SMOLLETT
the utmost eagerness of astonishment, exclaimed, ‘Sacred heaven!
what is this!—ha! wherefore—.’ Here his speech failing, he stood
straining his eyes, in the most emphatic silence—‘George (said
his father) this is my friend Mr. Loyd.’ Roused at this intimation,
he turned and received my salute, when I said, ‘Young gentleman,
if you had trusted me with your secret at our last meeting, we should
have parted upon better terms.’ Before he could make any answer,
Jery came round and stood before him with open arms.—At first,
he started and changed colour; but after a short pause, he rushed
into his embrace, and they hugged one another as if they had been
intimate friends from their infancy: then he payed his respects to
Mrs. Tabitha, and advancing to Liddy, ‘Is it possible, (cried he)
that my senses do not play me false!—that I see Miss Melford
under my father’s roof—that I am permitted to speak to her with-
out giving offence—and that her relations have honoured me with
their countenance and protection.’ Liddy blushed, and trembled,
and faultered—‘To be sure, sir, (said she) it is a very surprising
circumstance—a great—a providential—I really know not what
I say—but I beg you will think I have said what’s agreeable.’
Mrs. Dennison interposing said, ‘Compose yourselves, my dear
children.—Your mutual happiness shall be our peculiar care.’ The
son going up to his mother, kissed one hand; my niece bathed the
other with her tears; and the good old lady pressed them both in
their turns to her breast.—The lovers were too much affected to
get rid of their embarrassment for one day; but the scene was much
enlivened by the arrival of Jack Wilson, who brought, as usual,
some game of his own killing—His honest countenance was a good
letter of recommendation.—I received him like a dear friend after
a long separation; and I could not help wondering to see him shake
Jery by the hand as an old acquaintance.—They had, indeed, been
acquainted some days, in consequence of a diverting incident,
which I shall explain at meeting.—That same night a consultation
was held upon the concerns of the lovers, when the match was
formally agreed to, and all the marriage-articles were settled with-
out the least dispute.—My nephew and I promised to make Liddy’s
fortune five thousand pounds. Mr. Dennison declared, he would
make over one half of his estate immediately to his son, and that
his daughter-in-law should be secured in a jointure of four hundred.
—Tabby proposed, that, considering their youth, they should
undergo one year at least of probation before the indissoluble knot