Joseph Andrews, Vol. 1 Read online

  CHAPTER X.

  _Joseph writes another letter: his transactions with Mr Peter Pounce,&c., with his departure from Lady Booby._

  The disconsolate Joseph would not have had an understanding sufficientfor the principal subject of such a book as this, if he had any longermisunderstood the drift of his mistress; and indeed, that he did notdiscern it sooner, the reader will be pleased to impute to anunwillingness in him to discover what he must condemn in her as a fault.Having therefore quitted her presence, he retired into his own garret,and entered himself into an ejaculation on the numberless calamitieswhich attended beauty, and the misfortune it was to be handsomer thanone's neighbours.

  He then sat down, and addressed himself to his sister Pamela in thefollowing words:--

  "Dear Sister Pamela,--Hoping you are well, what news have I to tell you!O Pamela! my mistress is fallen in love with me-that is, what greatfolks call falling in love-she has a mind to ruin me; but I hope I shallhave more resolution and more grace than to part with my virtue to anylady upon earth.

  "Mr Adams hath often told me, that chastity is as great a virtue in aman as in a woman. He says he never knew any more than his wife, and Ishall endeavour to follow his example. Indeed, it is owing entirely tohis excellent sermons and advice, together with your letters, that Ihave been able to resist a temptation, which, he says, no man complieswith, but he repents in this world, or is damned for it in the next; andwhy should I trust to repentance on my deathbed, since I may die in mysleep? What fine things are good advice and good examples! But I amglad she turned me out of the chamber as she did: for I had once almostforgotten every word parson Adams had ever said to me.

  "I don't doubt, dear sister, but you will have grace to preserve yourvirtue against all trials; and I beg you earnestly to pray I may beenabled to preserve mine; for truly it is very severely attacked by morethan one; but I hope I shall copy your example, and that of Joseph mynamesake, and maintain my virtue against all temptations."

  Joseph had not finished his letter, when he was summoned downstairs byMr Peter Pounce, to receive his wages; for, besides that out of eightpounds a year he allowed his father and mother four, he had beenobliged, in order to furnish himself with musical instruments, to applyto the generosity of the aforesaid Peter, who, on urgent occasions, usedto advance the servants their wages: not before they were due, butbefore they were payable; that is, perhaps, half a year after they weredue; and this at the moderate premium of fifty per cent, or a littlemore: by which charitable methods, together with lending money to otherpeople, and even to his own master and mistress, the honest man had,from nothing, in a few years amassed a small sum of twenty thousandpounds or thereabouts.

  Joseph having received his little remainder of wages, and having striptoff his livery, was forced to borrow a frock and breeches of one of theservants (for he was so beloved in the family, that they would all havelent him anything): and, being told by Peter that he must not stay amoment longer in the house than was necessary to pack up his linen,which he easily did in a very narrow compass, he took a melancholy leaveof his fellow-servants, and set out at seven in the evening.

  He had proceeded the length of two or three streets, before heabsolutely determined with himself whether he should leave the town thatnight, or, procuring a lodging, wait till the morning. At last, the moonshining very bright helped him to come to a resolution of beginning hisjourney immediately, to which likewise he had some other inducements;which the reader, without being a conjurer, cannot possibly guess, tillwe have given him those hints which it may be now proper to open.