Joseph Andrews, vol 2 | Page 4

next parish too; I believe I could buy them
both."--"Sir," cries Adams, "I rejoice thereat. Now, sir, my business is,
that we are by various accidents stript of our money, and are not able to
pay our reckoning, being seven shillings. I therefore request you to
assist me with the loan of those seven shillings, and also seven shillings
more, which, peradventure, I shall return to you; but if not, I am
convinced you will joyfully embrace such an opportunity of laying up a
treasure in a better place than any this world affords."

Suppose a stranger, who entered the chambers of a lawyer, being
imagined a client, when the lawyer was preparing his palm for the fee,
should pull out a writ against him. Suppose an apothecary, at the door
of a chariot containing some great doctor of eminent skill, should,
instead of directions to a patient, present him with a potion for himself.
Suppose a minister should, instead of a good round sum, treat my lord
----, or sir ----, or esq. ---- with a good broomstick. Suppose a civil
companion, or a led captain, should, instead of virtue, and honour, and
beauty, and parts, and admiration, thunder vice, and infamy, and
ugliness, and folly, and contempt, in his patron's ears. Suppose, when a
tradesman first carries in his bill, the man of fashion should pay it; or
suppose, if he did so, the tradesman should abate what he had
overcharged, on the supposition of waiting. In short--suppose what you
will, you never can nor will suppose anything equal to the astonishment
which seized on Trulliber, as soon as Adams had ended his speech. A
while he rolled his eyes in silence; sometimes surveying Adams, then
his wife; then casting them on the ground, then lifting them up to
heaven. At last he burst forth in the following accents: "Sir, I believe I
know where to lay up my little treasure as well as another. I thank G--,
if I am not so warm as some, I am content; that is a blessing greater
than riches; and he to whom that is given need ask no more. To be
content with a little is greater than to possess the world; which a man
may possess without being so. Lay up my treasure! what matters where
a man's treasure is whose heart is in the Scriptures? there is the treasure
of a Christian." At these words the water ran from Adams's eyes; and,
catching Trulliber by the hand in a rapture, "Brother," says he,
"heavens bless the accident by which I came to see you! I would have
walked many a mile to have communed with you; and, believe me, I
will shortly pay you a second visit; but my friends, I fancy, by this time,
wonder at my stay; so let me have the money immediately." Trulliber
then put on a stern look, and cried out, "Thou dost not intend to rob
me?" At which the wife, bursting into tears, fell on her knees and
roared out, "O dear sir! for Heaven's sake don't rob my master; we are
but poor people." "Get up, for a fool as thou art, and go about thy
business," said Trulliber; "dost think the man will venture his life? he is
a beggar, and no robber." "Very true, indeed," answered Adams. "I
wish, with all my heart, the tithing-man was here," cries Trulliber; "I

would have thee punished as a vagabond for thy impudence. Fourteen
shillings indeed! I won't give thee a farthing. I believe thou art no more
a clergyman than the woman there" (pointing to his wife); "but if thou
art, dost deserve to have thy gown stript over thy shoulders for running
about the country in such a manner." "I forgive your suspicions," says
Adams; "but suppose I am not a clergyman, I am nevertheless thy
brother; and thou, as a Christian, much more as a clergyman, art
obliged to relieve my distress." "Dost preach to me?" replied Trulliber;
"dost pretend to instruct me in my duty?" "Ifacks, a good story," cries
Mrs Trulliber, "to preach to my master." "Silence, woman," cries
Trulliber. "I would have thee know, friend" (addressing himself to
Adams), "I shall not learn my duty from such as thee. I know what
charity is, better than to give to vagabonds." "Besides, if we were
inclined, the poor's rate obliges us to give so much charity," cries the
wife. "Pugh! thou art a fool. Poor's reate! Hold thy nonsense,"
answered Trulliber; and then, turning to Adams, he told him, "he would
give him nothing." "I am sorry," answered Adams, "that you do know
what charity is, since you practise it no better: I must tell you, if you
trust to your knowledge for your justification, you will find