The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and his Friend, Mr. Abraham Abrams/Book IV, Chapter XII

CHAPTER XII.

_Where the good-natured reader will see something which will give him no

great pleasure._

The pedlar had been very inquisitive from the time he had first heard

that the great house in this parish belonged to the Lady Booby, and had

learnt that she was the widow of Sir Thomas, and that Sir Thomas had

bought Fanny, at about the age of three or four years, of a travelling

woman; and, now their homely but hearty meal was ended, he told Fanny

he believed he could acquaint her with her parents. The whole company,

especially she herself, started at this offer of the pedlar's. He then

proceeded thus, while they all lent their strictest attention:--"Though

I am now contented with this humble way of getting my livelihood, I was

formerly a gentleman; for so all those of my profession are called. In

a word, I was a drummer in an Irish regiment of foot. Whilst I was in

this honourable station I attended an officer of our regiment into

England a-recruiting. In our march from Bristol to Froome (for since

the decay of the woollen trade the clothing towns have furnished the

army with a great number of recruits) we overtook on the road a woman,

who seemed to be about thirty years old or thereabouts, not very

handsome, but well enough for a soldier. As we came up to her, she

mended her pace, and falling into discourse with our ladies (for every

man of the party, namely, a serjeant, two private men, and a drum, were

provided with their woman except myself), she continued to travel on

with us. I, perceiving she must fall to my lot, advanced presently to

her, made love to her in our military way, and quickly succeeded to my

wishes. We struck a bargain within a mile, and lived together as man

and wife to her dying day." "I suppose," says Adams, interrupting him,

"you were married with a licence; for I don't see how you could

contrive to have the banns published while you were marching from place

to place." "No, sir," said the pedlar, "we took a licence to go to bed

together without any banns." "Ay! ay!" said the parson; "_ex

necessitate_, a licence may be allowable enough; but surely, surely,

the other is the more regular and eligible way." The pedlar proceeded

thus: "She returned with me to our regiment, and removed with us from

quarters to quarters, till at last, whilst we lay at Galloway, she fell

ill of a fever and died. When she was on her death-bed she called me to

her, and, crying bitterly, declared she could not depart this world

without discovering a secret to me, which, she said, was the only sin

which sat heavy on her heart. She said she had formerly travelled in a

company of gypsies, who had made a practice of stealing away children;

that for her own part, she had been only once guilty of the crime;

which, she said, she lamented more than all the rest of her sins, since

probably it might have occasioned the death of the parents; for, added

she, it is almost impossible to describe the beauty of the young

creature, which was about a year and a half old when I kidnapped it. We

kept her (for she was a girl) above two years in our company, when I

sold her myself, for three guineas, to Sir Thomas Booby, in

Somersetshire. Now, you know whether there are any more of that name in

this county." "Yes," says Adams, "there are several Boobys who are

squires, but I believe no baronet now alive; besides, it answers so

exactly in every point, there is no room for doubt; but you have forgot

to tell us the parents from whom the child was stolen." "Their name,"

answered the pedlar, "was Andrews. They lived about thirty miles from

the squire; and she told me that I might be sure to find them out by

one circumstance; for that they had a daughter of a very strange name,

Pamela, or Pam_e_la; some pronounced it one way, and some the other."

Fanny, who had changed colour at the first mention of the name, now

fainted away; Joseph turned pale, and poor Dicky began to roar; the

parson fell on his knees, and ejaculated many thanksgivings that this

discovery had been made before the dreadful sin of incest was

committed; and the pedlar was struck with amazement, not being able to

account for all this confusion; the cause of which was presently opened

by the parson's daughter, who was the only unconcerned person (for the

mother was chafing Fanny's temples, and taking the utmost care of her):

and, indeed, Fanny was the only creature whom the daughter would not

have pitied in her situation; wherein, though we compassionate her

ourselves, we shall leave her for a little while, and pay a short visit

to Lady Booby.