Joseph Andrews Book 4, Chapter 4-6 Summary

  • Lady Booby is pretty upset when she hears the second publication of Fanny and Joseph's marriage banns.
  • It's time to take action. Unfortunately, Scout isn't quite as smart as he originally seemed—he brings both Fanny and Joseph before Justice Frolick.
  • Lady Booby is worried she might lose Joseph forever. She couldn't care less about that other hussy.
  • STOP THE PRESSES. Pamela Andrews is here. Yes, that Pamela Andrews, famous heroine of Richardson's Pamela and sister of Joseph Andrews.
  • Pamela's visiting with her almost-as-famous husband, Mr. Booby. Readers of Pamela would recognize this bloke as Mr. B.
  • Mr. Booby has arrived to help Joseph out of this legal jam. (Um, why was he arrested, again?)
  • Mr. Booby arrives a little too late. Joseph and Fanny have just been sentenced to a month in the dankest prison ever: Bridewell.
  • Since Mr. Booby is an investigator type, he asks to read the deposition.
  • Yeah, all it says is that Joseph cut a hassel-twig belonging to the lawyer Scout. Fanny allegedly carried the twig.
  • Mr. Booby is shocked that two people could get committed to Bridewell for a twig, but Scout says it could have been much worse: if our young Bonnie and Clyde had cut a tree, they both would have been hanged.
  • Mr. Booby gets Joseph and Fanny off the hook, obviously.
  • As Mr. Booby, Joseph, and Fanny leave the judgment-seat, they run into a panicked Adams. He doesn't want Joe and Fanny to go to prison.
  • Lady Booby is totally thrilled that Joseph is now her near relation (since Pamela married Mr. B.): she can get closer to him that way.
  • Are you ready for a dramatic scene, Shmoopers? Joseph greets his beloved sister and many tears flow.
  • Slipslop and Lady Booby are back on decent terms. Slipslop knows the drill: the two of them hate Fanny, and they want to break up the marriage.
  • Slipslop has a totally wicked proposal: Lady Booby should marry Joseph, now that he's high-class enough.
  • Lady Booby is totally scandalized by this totally scandalous proposal, but she's also a little intrigued.