A dialogue between Mr Abraham Adams and the Lady Booby.
Mr Adams was not far off, for he was drinking her ladyship’s health below in a cup of her ale. He no sooner came before her than she began in the following manner: “I wonder, sir, after the many great obligations you have had to this family” (with all which the reader hath in the course of this history been minutely acquainted), “that you will ungratefully show any respect to a fellow who hath been turned out of it for his misdeeds. Nor doth it, I can tell you, sir, become a man of your character, to run about the country with an idle fellow and wench. Indeed, as for the girl, I know no harm of her. Slipslop tells me she was formerly1 bred up in my house, and behaved as she ought, till she hankered after this fellow, and he spoiled her. Nay2, she may still, perhaps, do very well, if he will let her alone. You are, therefore, doing a monstrous3 thing in endeavouring to procure4 a match between these two people, which will be to the ruin of them both.” — “Madam,” said Adams, “if your ladyship will but hear me speak, I protest I never heard any harm of Mr Joseph Andrews; if I had, I should have corrected him for it; for I never have, nor will, encourage the faults of those under my care. As for the young woman, I assure your ladyship I have as good an opinion of her as your ladyship yourself or any other can have. She is the sweetest-tempered, honestest, worthiest5 young creature; indeed, as to her beauty, I do not commend her on that account, though all men allow she is the handsomest woman, gentle or simple, that ever appeared in the parish.” — “You are very impertinent,” says she, “to talk such fulsome6 stuff to me. It is mighty7 becoming truly in a clergyman to trouble himself about handsome women, and you are a delicate judge of beauty, no doubt. A man who hath lived all his life in such a parish as this is a rare judge of beauty! Ridiculous! beauty indeed! a country wench a beauty! I shall be sick whenever I hear beauty mentioned again. And so this wench is to stock the parish with beauties, I hope. But, sir, our poor is numerous enough already; I will have no more vagabonds settled here.” — “Madam,” says Adams, “your ladyship is offended with me, I protest, without any reason. This couple were desirous to consummate8 long ago, and I dissuaded9 them from it; nay, I may venture to say, I believe I was the sole cause of their delaying it.” — “Well,” says she, “and you did very wisely and honestly too, notwithstanding she is the greatest beauty in the parish.” — “And now, madam,” continued he, “I only perform my office to Mr Joseph.” — “Pray, don’t mister such fellows to me,” cries the lady. “He,” said the parson, “with the consent of Fanny, before my face, put in the banns.” “Yes,” answered the lady, “I suppose the slut is forward enough; Slipslop tells me how her head runs upon fellows; that is one of her beauties, I suppose. But if they have put in the banns, I desire you will publish them no more without my orders.” — “Madam,” cries Adams, “if any one puts in a sufficient caution, and assigns a proper reason against them, I am willing to surcease.” — “I tell you a reason,” says she: “he is a vagabond, and he shall not settle here, and bring a nest of beggars into the parish; it will make us but little amends10 that they will be beauties.” — “Madam,” answered Adams, “with the utmost submission11 to your ladyship, I have been informed by lawyer Scout12 that any person who serves a year gains a settlement in the parish where he serves.” — “Lawyer Scout,” replied the lady, “is an impudent13 coxcomb14; I will have no lawyer Scout interfere15 with me. I repeat to you again, I will have no more incumbrances brought on us: so I desire you will proceed no farther.” — “Madam,” returned Adams, “I would obey your ladyship in everything that is lawful16; but surely the parties being poor is no reason against their marrying. God forbid there should be any such law! The poor have little share enough of this world already; it would be barbarous indeed to deny them the common privileges and innocent enjoyments17 which nature indulges to the animal creation.” — “Since you understand yourself no better,” cries the lady, “nor the respect due from such as you to a woman of my distinction, than to affront18 my ears by such loose discourse19, I shall mention but one short word; it is my orders to you that you publish these banns no more; and if you dare, I will recommend it to your master, the doctor, to discard you from his service. I will, sir, notwithstanding your poor family; and then you and the greatest beauty in the parish may go and beg together.” — “Madam,” answered Adams, “I know not what your ladyship means by the terms master and service. I am in the service of a Master who will never discard me for doing my duty; and if the doctor (for indeed I have never been able to pay for a licence) thinks proper to turn me from my cure, God will provide me, I hope, another. At least, my family, as well as myself, have hands; and he will prosper20, I doubt not, our endeavours to get our bread honestly with them. Whilst my conscience is pure, I shall never fear what man can do unto me.” — “I condemn21 my humility,” said the lady, “for demeaning myself to converse22 with you so long. I shall take other measures; for I see you are a confederate with them. But the sooner you leave me the better; and I shall give orders that my doors may no longer be open to you. I will suffer no parsons who run about the country with beauties to be entertained here.” — “Madam,” said Adams, “I shall enter into no persons’ doors against their will; but I am assured, when you have enquired23 farther into this matter, you will applaud, not blame, my proceeding24; and so I humbly25 take my leave:” which he did with many bows, or at least many attempts at a bow.
收听单词发音 |
1
formerly
|
|
| adv.从前，以前 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
nay
|
|
| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
monstrous
|
|
| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
procure
|
|
| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
worthiest
|
|
| 应得某事物( worthy的最高级 )； 值得做某事； 可尊敬的； 有（某人或事物）的典型特征 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
fulsome
|
|
| adj.可恶的，虚伪的，过分恭维的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
consummate
|
|
| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
dissuaded
|
|
| 劝（某人）勿做某事，劝阻( dissuade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
amends
|
|
| n. 赔偿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
submission
|
|
| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
scout
|
|
| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
impudent
|
|
| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
coxcomb
|
|
| n.花花公子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
interfere
|
|
| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
lawful
|
|
| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
enjoyments
|
|
| 愉快( enjoyment的名词复数 )； 令人愉快的事物； 享有； 享受 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
affront
|
|
| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
discourse
|
|
| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
prosper
|
|
| v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
condemn
|
|
| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
converse
|
|
| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
enquired
|
|
| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
proceeding
|
|
| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
humbly
|
|
| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |