The history, returning to the Lady Booby, gives some account of the terrible conflict in her breast between love and pride; with what happened on the present discovery.
The lady sat down with her company to dinner, but eat nothing. As soon as her cloth was removed she whispered Pamela that she was taken a little ill, and desired her to entertain her husband and beau Didapper. She then went up into her chamber1, sent for Slipslop, threw herself on the bed in the agonies of love, rage, and despair; nor could she conceal2 these boiling passions longer without bursting. Slipslop now approached her bed, and asked how her ladyship did; but, instead of revealing her disorder3, as she intended, she entered into a long encomium4 on the beauty and virtues5 of Joseph Andrews; ending, at last, with expressing her concern that so much tenderness should be thrown away on so despicable an object as Fanny. Slipslop, well knowing how to humour her mistress’s frenzy7, proceeded to repeat, with exaggeration, if possible, all her mistress had said, and concluded with a wish that Joseph had been a gentleman, and that she could see her lady in the arms of such a husband. The lady then started from the bed, and, taking a turn or two across the room, cryed out, with a deep sigh, “Sure he would make any woman happy!” — “Your ladyship,” says she, “would be the happiest woman in the world with him. A fig8 for custom and nonsense! What ‘vails what people say? Shall I be afraid of eating sweetmeats because people may say I have a sweet tooth? If I had a mind to marry a man, all the world should not hinder me. Your ladyship hath no parents to tutelar your infections; besides, he is of your ladyship’s family now, and as good a gentleman as any in the country; and why should not a woman follow her mind as well as man? Why should not your ladyship marry the brother as well as your nephew the sister. I am sure, if it was a fragrant9 crime, I would not persuade your ladyship to it.” — “But, dear Slipslop,” answered the lady, “if I could prevail on myself to commit such a weakness, there is that cursed Fanny in the way, whom the idiot — O how I hate and despise him!” — “She! a little ugly mynx,” cries Slipslop; “leave her to me. I suppose your ladyship hath heard of Joseph’s fitting with one of Mr Didapper’s servants about her; and his master hath ordered them to carry her away by force this evening. I’ll take care they shall not want assistance. I was talking with this gentleman, who was below, just when your ladyship sent for me.” — “Go back,” says the Lady Booby, “this instant, for I expect Mr Didapper will soon be going. Do all you can; for I am resolved this wench shall not be in our family: I will endeavour to return to the company; but let me know as soon as she is carried off.” Slipslop went away; and her mistress began to arraign10 her own conduct in the following manner:—
“What am I doing? How do I suffer this passion to creep imperceptibly upon me? How many days are past since I could have submitted to ask myself the question? — Marry a footman! Distraction11! Can I afterwards bear the eyes of my acquaintance? But I can retire from them; retire with one in whom I propose more happiness than the world without him can give me! Retire-to feed continually on beauties which my inflamed12 imagination sickens with eagerly gazing on; to satisfy every appetite, every desire, with their utmost wish. Ha! and do I doat thus on a footman? I despise, I detest13 my passion. — Yet why? Is he not generous, gentle, kind? — Kind! to whom? to the meanest wretch14, a creature below my consideration. Doth he not — yes, he doth prefer her. Curse his beauties, and the little low heart that possesses them; which can basely descend15 to this despicable wench, and be ungratefully deaf to all the honours I do him. And can I then love this monster? No, I will tear his image from my bosom16, tread on him, spurn17 him. I will have those pitiful charms, which now I despise, mangled18 in my sight; for I will not suffer the little jade19 I hate to riot in the beauties I contemn20. No; though I despise him myself, though I would spurn him from my feet, was he to languish21 at them, no other should taste the happiness I scorn. Why do I say happiness? To me it would be misery22. To sacrifice my reputation, my character, my rank in life, to the indulgence of a mean and a vile23 appetite! How I detest the thought! How much more exquisite24 is the pleasure resulting from the reflection of virtue6 and prudence25 than the faint relish26 of what flows from vice27 and folly28! Whither did I suffer this improper29, this mad passion to hurry me, only by neglecting to summon the aids of reason to my assistance? Reason, which hath now set before me my desires in their proper colours, and immediately helped me to expel them. Yes, I thank Heaven and my pride, I have now perfectly30 conquered this unworthy passion; and if there was no obstacle in its way, my pride would disdain31 any pleasures which could be the consequence of so base, so mean, so vulgar — ” Slipslop returned at this instant in a violent hurry, and with the utmost eagerness cryed out, “O madam! I have strange news. Tom the footman is just come from the George; where, it seems, Joseph and the rest of them are a jinketting; and he says there is a strange man who hath discovered that Fanny and Joseph are brother and sister.” — “How, Slipslop?” cries the lady, in a surprize. — “I had not time, madam,” cries Slipslop, “to enquire32 about particles, but Tom says it is most certainly true.”
This unexpected account entirely33 obliterated34 all those admirable reflections which the supreme35 power of reason had so wisely made just before. In short, when despair, which had more share in producing the resolutions of hatred36 we have seen taken, began to retreat, the lady hesitated a moment, and then, forgetting all the purport37 of her soliloquy, dismissed her woman again, with orders to bid Tom attend her in the parlour, whither she now hastened to acquaint Pamela with the news. Pamela said she could not believe it; for she had never heard that her mother had lost any child, or that she had ever had any more than Joseph and herself. The lady flew into a violent rage with her, and talked of upstarts and disowning relations who had so lately been on a level with her. Pamela made no answer; but her husband, taking up her cause, severely38 reprimanded his aunt for her behaviour to his wife: he told her, if it had been earlier in the evening she should not have staid a moment longer in her house; that he was convinced, if this young woman could be proved her sister, she would readily embrace her as such, and he himself would do the same. He then desired the fellow might be sent for, and the young woman with him, which Lady Booby immediately ordered; and, thinking proper to make some apology to Pamela for what she had said, it was readily accepted, and all things reconciled.
The pedlar now attended, as did Fanny and Joseph, who would not quit her; the parson likewise was induced, not only by curiosity, of which he had no small portion, but his duty, as he apprehended39 it, to follow them; for he continued all the way to exhort40 them, who were now breaking their hearts, to offer up thanksgivings, and be joyful41 for so miraculous42 an escape.
When they arrived at Booby–Hall they were presently called into the parlour, where the pedlar repeated the same story he had told before, and insisted on the truth of every circumstance; so that all who heard him were extremely well satisfied of the truth, except Pamela, who imagined, as she had never heard either of her parents mention such an accident, that it must be certainly false; and except the Lady Booby, who suspected the falsehood of the story from her ardent43 desire that it should be true; and Joseph, who feared its truth, from his earnest wishes that it might prove false.
Mr Booby now desired them all to suspend their curiosity and absolute belief or disbelief till the next morning, when he expected old Mr Andrews and his wife to fetch himself and Pamela home in his coach, and then they might be certain of certainly knowing the truth or falsehood of this relation; in which, he said, as there were many strong circumstances to induce their credit, so he could not perceive any interest the pedlar could have in inventing it, or in endeavouring to impose such a falsehood on them.
The Lady Booby, who was very little used to such company, entertained them all — viz. her nephew, his wife, her brother and sister, the beau, and the parson, with great good humour at her own table. As to the pedlar, she ordered him to be made as welcome as possible by her servants. All the company in the parlour, except the disappointed lovers, who sat sullen44 and silent, were full of mirth; for Mr Booby had prevailed on Joseph to ask Mr Didapper’s pardon, with which he was perfectly satisfied. Many jokes passed between the beau and the parson, chiefly on each other’s dress; these afforded much diversion to the company. Pamela chid45 her brother Joseph for the concern which he exprest at discovering a new sister. She said, if he loved Fanny as he ought, with a pure affection, he had no reason to lament46 being related to her. — Upon which Adams began to discourse47 on Platonic48 love; whence he made a quick transition to the joys in the next world, and concluded with strongly asserting that there was no such thing as pleasure in this. At which Pamela and her husband smiled on one another.
This happy pair proposing to retire (for no other person gave the least symptom of desiring rest), they all repaired to several beds provided for them in the same house; nor was Adams himself suffered to go home, it being a stormy night. Fanny indeed often begged she might go home with the parson; but her stay was so strongly insisted on, that she at last, by Joseph’s advice, consented.
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1
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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encomium
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| n.赞颂；颂词 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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fig
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| n.无花果(树) | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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10
arraign
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| v.提讯；控告 | |
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distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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12
inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
detest
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| vt.痛恨，憎恶 | |
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14
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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15
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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16
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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spurn
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| v.拒绝，摈弃；n.轻视的拒绝；踢开 | |
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mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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contemn
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| v.蔑视 | |
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languish
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| vi.变得衰弱无力，失去活力，（植物等）凋萎 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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23
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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24
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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28
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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29
improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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31
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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32
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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33
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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34
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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35
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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36
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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37
purport
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| n.意义，要旨，大要；v.意味著，做为...要旨，要领是... | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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39
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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40
exhort
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| v.规劝，告诫 | |
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41
joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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42
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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43
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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44
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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45
chid
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| v.责骂，责备( chide的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
lament
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| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
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47
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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48
platonic
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| adj.精神的；柏拉图（哲学）的 | |
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