In which the history is continued.
Joseph Andrews had borne with great uneasiness the impertinence of beau Didapper to Fanny, who had been talking pretty freely to her, and offering her settlements; but the respect to the company had restrained him from interfering1 whilst the beau confined himself to the use of his tongue only; but the said beau, watching an opportunity whilst the ladies’ eyes were disposed another way, offered a rudeness to her with his hands; which Joseph no sooner perceived than he presented him with so sound a box on the ear, that it conveyed him several paces from where he stood. The ladies immediately screamed out, rose from their chairs; and the beau, as soon as he recovered himself, drew his hanger2: which Adams observing, snatched up the lid of a pot in his left hand, and, covering himself with it as with a shield, without any weapon of offence in his other hand, stept in before Joseph, and exposed himself to the enraged3 beau, who threatened such perdition and destruction, that it frighted the women, who were all got in a huddle4 together, out of their wits, even to hear his denunciations of vengeance5. Joseph was of a different complexion6, and begged Adams to let his rival come on; for he had a good cudgel in his hand, and did not fear him. Fanny now fainted into Mrs Adams’s arms, and the whole room was in confusion, when Mr Booby, passing by Adams, who lay snug7 under the pot-lid, came up to Didapper, and insisted on his sheathing8 the hanger, promising9 he should have satisfaction; which Joseph declared he would give him, and fight him at any weapon whatever. The beau now sheathed10 his hanger, and taking out a pocket-glass, and vowing11 vengeance all the time, readjusted his hair; the parson deposited his shield; and Joseph, running to Fanny, soon brought her back to life. Lady Booby chid12 Joseph for his insult on Didapper; but he answered, he would have attacked an army in the same cause. “What cause?” said the lady. “Madam,” answered Joseph, “he was rude to that young woman.” — “What,” says the lady, “I suppose he would have kissed the wench; and is a gentleman to be struck for such an offer? I must tell you, Joseph, these airs do not become you.” — “Madam,” said Mr Booby, “I saw the whole affair, and I do not commend my brother; for I cannot perceive why he should take upon him to be this girl’s champion.” — “I can commend him,” says Adams: “he is a brave lad; and it becomes any man to be the champion of the innocent; and he must be the basest coward who would not vindicate13 a woman with whom he is on the brink14 of marriage.” — “Sir,” says Mr Booby, “my brother is not a proper match for such a young woman as this.” — “No,” says Lady Booby; “nor do you, Mr Adams, act in your proper character by encouraging any such doings; and I am very much surprized you should concern yourself in it. I think your wife and family your properer care.” — “Indeed, madam, your ladyship says very true,” answered Mrs Adams: “he talks a pack of nonsense, that the whole parish are his children. I am sure I don’t understand what he means by it; it would make some women suspect he had gone astray, but I acquit15 him of that; I can read Scripture16 as well as he, and I never found that the parson was obliged to provide for other folks’ children; and besides, he is but a poor curate, and hath little enough, as your ladyship knows, for me and mine.” — “You say very well, Mrs Adams,” quoth the Lady Booby, who had not spoke17 a word to her before; “you seem to be a very sensible woman; and I assure you, your husband is acting18 a very foolish part, and opposing his own interest, seeing my nephew is violently set against this match: and indeed I can’t blame him; it is by no means one suitable to our family.” In this manner the lady proceeded with Mrs Adams, whilst the beau hopped19 about the room, shaking his head, partly from pain and partly from anger; and Pamela was chiding20 Fanny for her assurance in aiming at such a match as her brother. Poor Fanny answered only with her tears, which had long since begun to wet her handkerchief; which Joseph perceiving, took her by the arm, and wrapping it in his carried her off, swearing he would own no relation to any one who was an enemy to her he loved more than all the world. He went out with Fanny under his left arm, brandishing21 a cudgel in his right, and neither Mr Booby nor the beau thought proper to oppose him. Lady Booby and her company made a very short stay behind him; for the lady’s bell now summoned them to dress; for which they had just time before dinner.
Adams seemed now very much dejected, which his wife perceiving, began to apply some matrimonial balsam. She told him he had reason to be concerned, for that he had probably ruined his family with his tricks almost; but perhaps he was grieved for the loss of his two children, Joseph and Fanny. His eldest22 daughter went on: “Indeed, father, it is very hard to bring strangers here to eat your children’s bread out of their mouths. You have kept them ever since they came home; and, for anything I see to the contrary, may keep them a month longer; are you obliged to give her meat, tho’f she was never so handsome? But I don’t see she is so much handsomer than other people. If people were to be kept for their beauty, she would scarce fare better than her neighbours, I believe. As for Mr Joseph, I have nothing to say; he is a young man of honest principles, and will pay some time or other for what he hath; but for the girl — why doth she not return to her place she ran away from? I would not give such a vagabond slut a halfpenny though I had a million of money; no, though she was starving.” “Indeed but I would,” cries little Dick; “and, father, rather than poor Fanny shall be starved, I will give her all this bread and cheese” — (offering what he held in his hand). Adams smiled on the boy, and told him he rejoiced to see he was a Christian23; and that if he had a halfpenny in his pocket, he would have given it him; telling him it was his duty to look upon all his neighbours as his brothers and sisters, and love them accordingly. “Yes, papa,” says he, “I love her better than my sisters, for she is handsomer than any of them.” “Is she so, saucebox?” says the sister, giving him a box on the ear; which the father would probably have resented, had not Joseph, Fanny, and the pedlar at that instant returned together. Adams bid his wife prepare some food for their dinner; she said, “Truly she could not, she had something else to do.” Adams rebuked24 her for disputing his commands, and quoted many texts of Scripture to prove “That the husband is the head of the wife, and she is to submit and obey.” The wife answered, “It was blasphemy25 to talk Scripture out of church; that such things were very proper to be said in the pulpit, but that it was profane26 to talk them in common discourse27.” Joseph told Mr Adams “He was not come with any design to give him or Mrs Adams any trouble; but to desire the favour of all their company to the George (an ale-house in the parish), where he had bespoke28 a piece of bacon and greens for their dinner.” Mrs Adams, who was a very good sort of woman, only rather too strict in oeconomies, readily accepted this invitation, as did the parson himself by her example; and away they all walked together, not omitting little Dick, to whom Joseph gave a shilling when he heard of his intended liberality to Fanny.
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1
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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hanger
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| n.吊架，吊轴承；挂钩 | |
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3
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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huddle
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| vi.挤作一团；蜷缩；vt.聚集；n.挤在一起的人 | |
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5
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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7
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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8
sheathing
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| n.覆盖物，罩子v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的现在分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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9
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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10
sheathed
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| adj.雕塑像下半身包在鞘中的；覆盖的；铠装的；装鞘了的v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的过去式和过去分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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11
vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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chid
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| v.责骂，责备( chide的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vindicate
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| v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确 | |
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brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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acquit
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| vt.宣判无罪；(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
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scripture
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| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
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17
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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18
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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19
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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20
chiding
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| v.责骂，责备( chide的现在分词 ) | |
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21
brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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23
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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24
rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
blasphemy
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| n.亵渎，渎神 | |
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26
profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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27
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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28
bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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