CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
What happened to Joseph during his sickness at the inn, with
the curious discourse between him and Mr Barnabas, the parson of the parish.
As soon as Joseph had communicated a particular history of
the robbery, together with a short account of himself, and his intended
journey, he asked the surgeon if he apprehended him to be in any danger: to
which the surgeon very honestly answered, "He feared he was; for that his
pulse was very exalted and feverish, and, if his fever should prove more than
symptomatic, it would be impossible to save him." Joseph, fetching a deep
sigh, cried, "Poor Fanny, I would I could have lived to see thee! but
God's will be done."
The surgeon then advised him, if he had any worldly affairs
to settle, that he would do it as soon as possible; for, though he hoped he
might recover, yet he thought himself obliged to acquaint him he was in great
danger; and if the malign concoction of his humours should cause a suscitation
of his fever, he might soon grow delirious and incapable to make his will.
Joseph answered, "That it was impossible for any creature in the universe
to be in a poorer condition than himself; for since the robbery he had not one
thing of any kind whatever which he could call his own." "I
had," said he, "a poor little piece of gold, which they took away,
that would have been a comfort to me in all my afflictions; but surely, Fanny,
I want nothing to remind me of thee. I have thy dear image in my heart, and no
villain can ever tear it thence."
Joseph desired paper and pens, to write a letter, but they
were refused him; and he was advised to use all his endeavours to compose
himself. They then left him; and Mr Tow-wouse sent to a clergyman to come and
administer his good offices to the soul of poor Joseph, since the surgeon
despaired of making any successful applications to his body.
Mr Barnabas (for that was the clergyman's name) came as soon
as sent for; and, having first drank a dish of tea with the landlady, and
afterwards a bowl of punch with the landlord, he walked up to the room where
Joseph lay; but, finding him asleep, returned to take the other sneaker; which
when he had finished, he again crept softly up to the chamber-door, and, having
opened it, heard the sick man talking to himself in the following manner:—
"O most adorable Pamela! most virtuous sister! whose
example could alone enable me to withstand all the temptations of riches and
beauty, and to preserve my virtue pure and chaste for the arms of my dear
Fanny, if it had pleased Heaven that I should ever have come unto them. What
riches, or honours, or pleasures, can make us amends for the loss of innocence?
Doth not that alone afford us more consolation than all worldly acquisitions?
What but innocence and virtue could give any comfort to such a miserable wretch
as I am? Yet these can make me prefer this sick and painful bed to all the
pleasures I should have found in my lady's. These can make me face death
without fear; and though I love my Fanny more than ever man loved a woman,
these can teach me to resign myself to the Divine will without repining. O thou
delightful charming creature! if Heaven had indulged thee to my arms, the
poorest, humblest state would have been a paradise; I could have lived with
thee in the lowest cottage without envying the palaces, the dainties, or the
riches of any man breathing. But I must leave thee, leave thee for ever, my
dearest angel! I must think of another world; and I heartily pray thou may'st
meet comfort in this."—Barnabas thought he had heard enough, so downstairs
he went, and told Tow-wouse he could do his guest no service; for that he was
very light-headed, and had uttered nothing but a rhapsody of nonsense all the
time he stayed in the room.
The surgeon returned in the afternoon, and found his patient
in a higher fever, as he said, than when he left him, though not delirious;
for, notwithstanding Mr Barnabas's opinion, he had not been once out of his
senses since his arrival at the inn.
Mr Barnabas was again sent for, and with much difficulty
prevailed on to make another visit. As soon as he entered the room he told
Joseph "He was come to pray by him, and to prepare him for another world:
in the first place, therefore, he hoped he had repented of all his sins."
Joseph answered, "He hoped he had; but there was one thing which he knew
not whether he should call a sin; if it was, he feared he should die in the
commission of it; and that was, the regret of parting with a young woman whom
he loved as tenderly as he did his heart-strings." Barnabas bad him be assured
"that any repining at the Divine will was one of the greatest sins he
could commit; that he ought to forget all carnal affections, and think of
better things." Joseph said, "That neither in this world nor the next
he could forget his Fanny; and that the thought, however grievous, of parting
from her for ever, was not half so tormenting as the fear of what she would
suffer when she knew his misfortune." Barnabas said, "That such fears
argued a diffidence and despondence very criminal; that he must divest himself
of all human passions, and fix his heart above." Joseph answered,
"That was what he desired to do, and should be obliged to him if he would
enable him to accomplish it." Barnabas replied, "That must be done by
grace." Joseph besought him to discover how he might attain it. Barnabas
answered, "By prayer and faith." He then questioned him concerning
his forgiveness of the thieves. Joseph answered, "He feared that was more
than he could do; for nothing would give him more pleasure than to hear they
were taken."—"That," cries Barnabas, "is for the sake of
justice."—"Yes," said Joseph, "but if I was to meet them
again, I am afraid I should attack them, and kill them too, if I
could."—"Doubtless," answered Barnabas, "it is lawful to
kill a thief; but can you say you forgive them as a Christian ought?"
Joseph desired to know what that forgiveness was. "That is," answered
Barnabas, "to forgive them as—as—it is to forgive them as—in short, it is
to forgive them as a Christian."—Joseph replied, "He forgave them as
much as he could."—"Well, well," said Barnabas, "that will
do." He then demanded of him, "If he remembered any more sins
unrepented of; and if he did, he desired him to make haste and repent of them
as fast as he could, that they might repeat over a few prayers together."
Joseph answered, "He could not recollect any great crimes he had been
guilty of, and that those he had committed he was sincerely sorry for."
Barnabas said that was enough, and then proceeded to prayer with all the
expedition he was master of, some company then waiting for him below in the
parlour, where the ingredients for punch were all in readiness; but no one
would squeeze the oranges till he came.
Joseph complained he was dry, and desired a little tea;
which Barnabas reported to Mrs Tow-wouse, who answered, "She had just done
drinking it, and could not be slopping all day;" but ordered Betty to
carry him up some small beer.
Betty obeyed her mistress's commands; but Joseph, as soon as
he had tasted it, said, he feared it would increase his fever, and that he
longed very much for tea; to which the good-natured Betty answered, he should
have tea, if there was any in the land; she accordingly went and bought him
some herself, and attended him with it; where we will leave her and Joseph together
for some time, to entertain the reader with other matters.
