 section 26d of Pamela or Virtue Rewarded, this is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Pamela or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson, section 26d. Said she, No, no, he'll then think that I make the creature my companion, and know not how to part with her. I thought your ladyship, replied I, could not have taken exceptions at this message. Down knowest nothing went, said she, of what belongs to people of condition. How shouldst thou? Nor thought I, do I desire it at this rate. What shall I say, madame? said I. Nothing at all, replied she, let him expect his dearest love and be disappointed. It is but adding a few more hours, and he will make every one a day in his amorous account. Mrs. Duke's coming nearer me, and my lady walking about the room, being then at the end, I whispered, Let Robert stay at the Elms. I'll have a struggle for it by and by. As much married as I, repeated she, the insolence of the creature. And so she walked about the room talking to herself, to her woman, and now and then to me. But seeing I could not please her, I thought I had better be silent. And then it was, am I not worthy of an answer? If I speak, said I, your ladyship is angry at me, though ever so respectfully. If I do not, I cannot please. Would your ladyship tell me but how I shall oblige you, and I would do it with all my heart? Confess the truth, said she, that thou art an undone creature, hast been in bed with thy master, and art sorry for it, and for the mischief thou hast occasioned between him and me, and then I'll pity thee, and persuade him to pack thee off with a hundred or two of guineas. And some honest farmer may take pity of thee and patch up thy shame for the sake of the money, and if nobody will have thee, thou must vow penitence and be as humble as I once thought thee. I was quite sick at heart at all this passionate extravagance, and to be hindered from being where was the desire of my soul, and afraid too of incurring my dear master's displeasure. And as I sat, I saw it was no hard matter to get out of the window into the front yard, the parlor being even with the yard, and so have a fair run for it. And after I had seen my lady at the other end of the room again in her walks, having not pulled down the sash when I spoke to Mrs. Jukes, I got upon the seat and whipped out in a minute, and ran away as hard as I could drive, my lady calling after me to return, and her woman at the other window. But two servants appearing at her crying out, and she bidding them to stop me, I said, touch me at your peril, fellows! But their lady's commands would have prevailed on them had not Mr. Cole-brand, who it seems had been kindly ordered by Mrs. Jukes to be within call when she saw how I was treated, come up and put on one of his deadly fierce looks the only time I thought it ever became him, and said he would chime the man, that was his word, who offered to touch his lady, and so he ran alongside of me, and I heard my lady say, the creature flies like a bird! And indeed Mr. Cole-brand, with his huge strides, could hardly keep pace with me, and I never stopped till I got to the chariot, and Robert had got down, seeing me running at a distance, and held the door in his hand with the step ready down. And in I jumped, without touching the step, saying, Drive me, drive me as fast as you can, out of my lady's reach. And he mounted, and Cole-brand said, Don't be frightened, madame, nobody shall hurt you, and shut the door, and away Robert drove. But I was quite out of breath, and did not recover it, and my fright all the way. Mr. Cole-brand was so kind, but I did not know it till the chariot stopped at Sir Simon's, to step up behind the carriage, lest, as he said, my lady should send after me. And he told Mrs. Jukes, when he got home, that he never saw such a runner as me in his life. When the chariot stopped, which was not till six o'clock, so long did this cruel lady keep me, Miss Darnford ran out to me. Oh, madame, said she, ten times welcome, but you'll be beat, I can tell you, for here has been Mr. B. come these two hours, and is very angry with you. That's hard indeed, said I, indeed I can't afford it, for I hardly knew what I said, having not recovered my fright. Let me sit down, Miss, anywhere, said I, for I have been sadly off. So I sat down, and was quite sick with the hurry of my spirits, and leaned upon her arm. Said she, your lord and master came in very moody, and when he had stayed an hour, and you not come, he began to fret, and said he did not expect so little complacence from you. And he has now sat down, with great persuasion, to a game at Lou. Come, you must make your appearance, Lady Fair, for he is too sullen to attend you, I doubt. You have no strangers, have you, Miss? said I. Only two women relations from Stanford, replied she, and a humble servant of one of them. Only all the world, Miss, said I, what shall I do if he be angry? I can't bear that. Just as I had said so, came in Lady Darnford and Lady Jones to chide me, as they said, for not coming sooner. And before I could speak, came in my dear master. I ran to him. How do ye, Pamela? said he, and saluting me with a little more formality than I could well bear. I expected half a word from me, when I was so complacent to your choice, would have determined you, and that you'd have been here to dinner. And the rather, as I made my request a reasonable one, and what I thought would be agreeable to you. Oh, dear sir, said I, pray, pray, hear me, and you'll pity me, and not be displeased. Mrs. Jukes will tell you that as soon as I had your kind comments, I said I would obey you, and come to dinner with these good ladies, and so prepared myself instantly with all the pleasure in the world. Lady Darnford and Miss said I was their dear. Look you, said Miss, did I not tell you, stately one, that something must have happened, but oh, these tyrants, these men. Why, what hindered it, my dear? said he. Give yourself time, you seem out of breath. Oh, sir, said I, out of breath, well I may, for just as I was ready to come away, who should drive into the courtyard but Lady Davors? Lady Davors, nay then, my sweet dear, said he, and saluted me more tenderly, hath thou had a worse trial than I wished thee from one of the hottest women in England, though my sister. For she, too, my Pamela, was spoiled by my good mother. But have you seen her? Yes, sir, said I, and more than seen her. Why, sure, said he, she has not had the insolence to strike my girl. Sir, said I, but tell me you forgive me, for indeed I could not come sooner, and these good ladies but excuse me, and I'll tell you all another time. For to take up the good company's attention now will spoil their pleasantry, and be to them, though more important to me, like the broken china you cautioned me about. That's a dear girl, said he, I see my hints are not thrown away upon you, and I beg pardon for being angry with you, and for the future will stay till I hear your defence before I judge you. Said Miss Darnford, this is a little better, to own a fault is some reparation, and what every lordly husband will not do. He said, but tell me, my dear, did Lady Davar's offer you any incivility? Oh, sir, replied I, she is your sister, and I must not tell you all, but she has used me very severely. Did you tell her, said he, you were married? Yes, sir, I did at last, but she will have it to the sham marriage, and that I am a vile creature, and she was ready to beat me when I said so, for she could not have patience that I should be deemed her sister, as she said. How unlucky it was, replied he, I was not at home, why did you not send to me here? Sen, sir, I was kept prisoner by force, they would not let me stir, or do you think I would have been hindered from obeying you? Nay, I told them that I had a pre-engagement, but she ridiculed me and said, waiting made's talk of pre-engagement, and then I showed her your kind letter, and she made a thousand remarks upon it, and made me wish I had not. In short, whatever I could do or say, there was no pleasing her, and I was a creature and wench, and all that was not, but you must not be angry with her on my account. Well, but, said he, I suppose she hardly asked you to dine with her, for she came before dinner, I presume, if it was soon after you had received my letter. No, sir, dine with my lady, no indeed, why she would make me wait at table upon her with her woman, because she would not expose herself and me before the men-servants, which you know, sir, was very good of her ladyship. Well, said he, but did you wait upon her? Would you have had me, sir? said I. Only Pamela, replied he, if you did, and knew not what belonged to your character as my wife, I shall be very angry with you. Sir, said I, I did not but refused it out of consideration to the dignity you have raised me to, else, sir, I could have waited on my knees upon your sister. Now, said he, you confirm my opinion of your prudence and judgment, she is an insolent woman, and shall dearly repent it. But, sir, she is to be excused, because she won't believe I am indeed married, so don't be too angry at her ladyship. He said, ladies, pray don't let us keep you from the company, I'll only ask a question or two more, and attend you. Said Lady Jones, I so much long to hear this story of poor madame's persecution, that, if it is not improper, I should be glad to stay. Miss Darnford would stay for the same reason, my master saying, he had no secrets to ask, and that it was kind of them to interest themselves in my grievances. But Lady Darnford went into the company and told them the cause of my detention, for, it seems, my dear master loved me too well to keep to himself the disappointment my not being here to receive him was to him. And they had all given the two Mrs. Burrows and Mr. Perry, the Stamford guests, such a character of me, that they said they were impatient to see me. Said my master, but Pamela, you said they and them, who had my sister with her besides her woman? Her nephew, sir, and three footmen on horseback, and she and her woman were in her chariot in six. That's a sad coxcomb, said he, how did he behave to you? Not extraordinarily, sir, but I should not complain, for I was even with him, because I thought I ought not to bear with him as with my lady. By heaven, said he, if I knew he behaved unhandsomely to my jewel, I'd send him home to his uncle without his ears. Indeed, sir, returned I, I was as hard upon him as he was upon me. Said he, to his kind to say so, but I believe I shall make them dearly repent their visit if I find their behavior to call for my resentment. But sure, my dear, you might have got away when you went to your own dinner. Indeed, sir, said I, her ladyship locked me in and would not let me stir. So you hadn't ate any dinner? No indeed, sir, nor had a stomach for any. My poor dear, said he, but then how got you away at last? Oh, sir, replied I, I jumped out of the parlor window and ran away to the chariot which had waited for me several hours by the elm-walk from the time of my lady's coming, for I was just going as I said. And Mr. Colbrand conducted me through her servants whom she called to to stop me and was so kind to step behind the chariot unknown to me and saw me safe here. I'm sure, said he, these insolent creatures must have treated you vilely, but tell me what part did Mrs. Jukes act in this affair? A very kind part, sir, said I, in my behalf, and I shall thank her for it. Sweet creature, said he, thou lovest to speak well of everybody, but I hope she deserves it, for she knew you were married. But come, we'll now join the company and try to forget all you have suffered for two or three hours, that we may not tire the company with our concerns and resume the subject as we go home, and you shall find I will do you justice as I ought. But you forgive me, sir, said I, and are not angry? Forgive you, my dear, returned he. I hope you forgive me. I shall never make you satisfaction for what you have suffered from me and for me. And with those words he led me into the company. He very kindly presented me to the two stranger-ladies and the gentlemen, and them to me, and sir Simon, who was at cards, rose from table and saluted me. A dad, madame, said he, I'm glad to see you here. What, it seems you have been a prisoner. T'was well you was, or your spouse and I should have sat in judgment upon you and condemned you to a fearful punishment for your first crime of le se majestatis. I had this explained to me afterwards as a sort of treason against my liege, Lord and husband. For we husbands hear abouts, said he, are resolved to turn over a new leaf with our wives, and your Lord and master shall show us the way I can tell you that. But I see by your eyes my sweet culprit, added he, and your complexion, you have had sour sauce to your sweet meat. Miss Darnford said, I think we are obliged to our sweet guest at last, for she was forced to jump out at a window to come to us. He indeed, said Mrs. Peters, and my master's back being turned, says she, Lady Davers, when a maiden was always vastly passionate, but a very good lady when her passion was over, and she'd make nothing of slapping her maids about and begging their pardons afterwards if they took it patiently, otherwise she used to say the creatures were even with her. I, said I, I have been a many creatures and wenches, and I know not what, for these were the names she gave me, and I thought I ought to act up to the part her dear brother has given me, and so I have but just escaped a good cuffing. Miss Burroughs said to her sister, as I overheard, but she did not design I should, what a sweet creature is this, and then she takes so little upon her, is so free, so easy, and owns the honour done her so obligingly, said Mr. Perry softly, the loveliest person I ever saw, who could have the heart to be angry with her one moment. Says Miss Darnford, here, my dearest neighbour, these gentry are admiring you strangely, and Mr. Perry says you are the loveliest lady he ever saw, and he says it to his own mistress's face too, I'll assure you. Or else, says Miss Burroughs, I should think he much flattered me. Oh, Madame, you are exceedingly obliging, but your kind opinion ought to teach me humility, and to reference so generous a worth as can give a preference against yourself, where it is so little do. Indeed, Madame, said Miss Nanny Burroughs, I love my sister well, but it would be a high compliment to any lady to be deemed worthy a second or third place after you. There is no answering such politeness, said I, I am sure Lady Davies was very cruel to keep me from such company. T'was our last madame, says Miss Darnford. I'll allow it, said I, in degree, for you have all been deprived several hours of an humble admirer. Mr. Perry said, I never before saw so young a lady shine forth with such graces of mind and person. Alas, sir, said I, my master coming up, mine is but a borrowed shine like that of the moon, here is the sun to whose fervent glow of generosity I owe all the faint luster that your goodness is pleased to look upon with so much kind distinction. Mr. Perry was pleased to hold up his hands, and the ladies looked upon one another, and my master said, hearing part of the last sentence, what's the pretty subject that my Pamela is displaying so sweetly her talents upon? Oh, sir, said Mr. Perry, I will pronounce you the happiest man in England, and so said they all. My master said most generously, thank ye, thank ye, thank ye all around, my dear friends. I know not your subject, but if you believe me so, for a single instance of this dear girl's goodness, what must I think myself when blessed with a thousand instances and experiencing it in every single act and word? I do assure you my Pamela's person, all lovely as you see it, is far short of her mind. That indeed first attracted my admiration, and made me her lover, but they were the beauties of her mind that made me her husband, and proud my sweet dear, said he, pressing my hand, am I of that title? Well, said Mr. Perry, very kindly and politely, excellent as your lady is, I know not the gentleman that could deserve her, but that one who could say such just and such fine things. I was all abashed, and took Miss Darnford's hand, and said, save me, dear Miss, by your sweet example, from my rising pride, but could I deserve half these kind things, what a happy creature should I be? Said Miss Darnford, you deserve them all, indeed you do. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Pamela, All Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson. Section 26. Saturday morning the third of my happy nuptials. I must still write on till I come to be settled in the duty of the station to which I am so generously exalted, and to let you participate with me the transporting pleasures that rise from my new condition, and the favours that are hourly heaped upon me by the best of husbands. When I had got my packet for you finished, I then set about writing, as he had kindly directed me, to Mrs. Jarvis, and had no difficulty till I came to sign my name. And so I bought it down with me when I was called to supper, unsigned. My good master, for a nanny life, and always shelled to call him by that name, had been writing to Mr. Longman, and he said pleasantly, see here, my dearest, what I have written to your somebody. I read as follows. Mr. Longman. I have the pleasure to acquaint you that last Thursday I was married to my beloved Pamela. I have had reason to be disciplined with you and Mrs. Jarvis and Jonathan, not feel kindness to and regard for my dear spouse that is now, but feel the manner in which you appeal to my sister Davis, which has made a very wide breach between her and me. But as it was one of her first requests that I would overlook what had passed and reinstate you in all your former charges, I think myself obliged without the least hesitation to comply with it. So if you please, you may again enter upon an office which you have always executed with unquestionable integrity and to the satisfaction of yours, etc. Friday afternoon. I shall set out next Tuesday or Wednesday for bed for cheer, and desire to find Jonathan as well as you in your former offices. In which I dare say you'll have the more pleasure, as you have such an early instance of the sentiments of my dear wife, from whose goodness you may expect every agreeable thing. She writes herself to Mrs. Jarvis. I thanked him most gratefully for his goodness, and afterward took the above copy of it and showed him my letter to Mrs. Jarvis as follows. My dear Mrs. Jarvis, I have joyful tidings to communicate to you, for yesterday I was happily married to the best of gentlemen, yours and my beloved master. I have only now to tell you that I am inexpressibly happy, that my generous benefactor denies me nothing and even anticipates my wishes. You may be sure I could not forget my dear Mrs. Jarvis, and I made it my request and had it granted, as soon as asked, that you might return to the kind charge which you executed with so much advantage to our master's interest and so much pleasure to all under your direction. All the power that is put into my hands by the most generous of men shall be exerted to make everything easy and agreeable to you. And as I shall soon have the honour of attending my beloved to Bedfordshire, it will be a very considerable addition to my delight and to my unspeakable obligations to the best of men to see my dear Mrs. Jarvis and to be received by her with that pleasure which I promise myself from her affection. For I am, my dear good friends, and always will be, yours very affectionately and gratefully, Pamela. He read this letter and said, it is yours, my dear, and must be good. But don't you put your name to it? Sir, said I, your goodness has given me a right to a very honourable one, but as this is the first occasion of the kind except that to my dear father and mother, I think I ought to show it to you unsigned, that I may not seem over-forward to take advantage of the honour you have done me. However sweetly humble and requisite, he said here, that this may appear to my dear Pamela's niceness. It befits me to tell you that I am every moment more and more pleased with the right you have to my name. And my dear life, added he, I have only to wish I may be half as worthy as you are of the happy knot so lately knit. He then took a pen himself and wrote after Pamela his most worthy surname, and I underwrote thus, O rejoice with me, my dear Mrs. Jarvis, that I am enabled by God's graciousness and my dear master's goodness thus to write myself. These letters and the packet to you were sent away by Mr. Thomas early this morning. My dearest master is just gone to take a ride out, and intends to call upon Lady Jones, Mrs. Peters and Sir Simon Danford, to invite them to chapel and dinner tomorrow, and says he chooses to do it himself because the time is so short, they will perhaps deny a servant. I forgot to mention that Mr. Williams was he yesterday, to ask Leave to go to see his new living, and to provide for taking possession of it, and seemed so pleased with my master's kindness and fondness for me, as well as his generous deportment himself, that he left us in such a disposition as showed he was quite happy. I am very glad of it, for it would rejoice me to be a humble means of making all mankind so, and know what returns ought I not to make to the divine goodness, and how ought I to strive to defuse the blessings I experience to all in my knowledge? For else what is it for such a worm as I to be exalted? What is my single happiness if I suffer it, niggered like, to extend no further than to myself? But then indeed do God's almighty creatures act worthy of the blessings they receive when they make, or endeavor to make, the whole creation so far as in the circle of their power happy. Great and good God, as thou hast enlarged my opportunities enlarge also my will, and make me delight in dispensing to others a portion of that happiness, which I myself so plentifully received at the hand of thy gracious providence. Then shall I not be useless in my generation, then shall I not stand a single mark of thy goodness to a poor worthless creature, that in herself is of so small a count in the scale of beings, a mere cipher on the wrong side of a figure, but shall be placed on the right side, and though nothing worthy in myself shall give signification by my place and multiply the blessings I owe to thy goodness, which has distinguished me by so fair a lot. This, as I conceive, is the indispensable duty of a high condition, and how great must be the condemnation of poor creatures at the great day of account, when they shall be asked what uses have they made of the opportunities put into their hands, and are only able to say, we have lived but to ourselves. We have circumscribed all the power that has given us into one narrow selfish compass. We have heaped up treasures for those who came after us, though we knew not whether they would not make a still worse use of them than we ourselves did. And how can such poor selfish pleaders expect any other sentence than the dreadful depart ye cursed? For surely, my dear father and mother, such persons can have no notion of the exalted pleasures that flow from doing good, whether to be no after account at all. There is something so satisfactory and pleasing to reflect on the being able to admit us the comfort and relief to those in stand of need of it, as infinitely of itself rewards the beneficent mind. And how often have I experienced this in my good lady's time, though but the second-hand dispenser of her benefits to the poor and sickly when she made me her armina? How I have been affected with the blessings which the miserable have heaped upon her for her goodness, and upon me for being but the humble conveyor of her bounty to them? And how delighted have I been when the moving report I have made of a particular distress has augmented my good lady's first intentions and relief of it? This I recall with pleasure because it is now, by the divine goodness, become my part to do these good things she was want to do. And now let me watch myself that my prosperous state do not make me forget to look up with due thankfulness to the providence which has entrusted me with the power so that I may not incur a terrible woe by the abuse or neglect of it. Forgive me these reflections, my dear parents, and let me have your prayers, that I may not find my present happiness a snare to me, but that I may consider that more and more will be expected from me in proportion to the power given me, and that I may not so unworthily act as if I believed I ought to set up my rest in my mean self and think nothing further to be done with the opportunities put in my hand by the divine favour and the best of men. Saturday, seven o'clock in the evening. My master returned home to dinner to compliment to me, though much press to dine with Lady Jones as he was also by Sir Simon to dine with him. But Mr. Peters could not conveniently provide a preacher for his own church tomorrow morning at so short a notice. Mr. Williams being gone, as I said to his new living, but believed he could for the afternoon, and so he promised to give his company to dinner and to read afternoon service. And this made my master invite all the rest, as well as him, to dinner and not to church, and he made them promise to come, and told Mr. Peters he would send his coach for him and his family. Miss Stanford told him pleasantly she would not come unless he would promise to let her be at his wedding, by which I find Mr. Peters has kept the secret, as my master desired. He was pleased to give me an airing after dinner in the chariot, and renewed his kind assurances to me, and if possible his kinder than ever. This is sweetly comfortable to me, because it shows me he does not repent of his condescensions to me, and it encourages me to look up to him with more satisfaction of mind and less doubtfulness. I begged leave to send a guinea to a poor body in the town and said, by Mrs. Duke, lay very ill, and was very destitute. He said, sent to my dear, if you please. Said I, sir, I will never do anything of this kind without letting you know what I do. He most generously answered, I shall then perhaps have you do less good than you would otherwise do from a doubt of me, though I hope your discretion and my own temper, which is not avaricious, will much such doubts causeless. My dear, continued he, I'll tell you how we will order this point to avoid even the shadow of uneasiness on one side or doubt on the other. As to your father and mother in the first place, they shall be quiet out of the question, for I have already determined in my mind about them, and it is thus. They shall go down, if they and you think well of it, to my little Kentish estate, which I once mentioned to you in such a manner, has made you rejected with a nobleness of mind that gave me pain then but pleasure since. There is a pretty little farm and house untenated upon that estate and terribly well stocked, and I will further stock it for them, for such industrious folks won't know how to live without some employment, and it shall be theirs for both their lives without paying any rent, and I will allow them fifty pound per annum beside that they may keep up the stock and be kind to any others of their relations without being beholden to you or me for such small matters, and for greater when needful you shall always have it in your power to accommodate them, for I shall never question your prudence. And we will, so long as God spares our lives, go down once a year to see them, and they shall come up as often as they please, it cannot be too often to see us. For I mean not this, my dear, to send them from us. Before I proceed, does my Pamela like this? O sir said I, the English tongue affords, not words, or at least I have them not, to express sufficiently my gratitude. Teach me, dear sir, continued I, and pressed his dear hand to my lips. Teach me some other language, if there be any, that abounds with more grateful terms, that I may not be thus choked with meanings for which I can find no utterance. My charmer said he, your language is all wonderful as your sentiments, and you must abound what you seem most to want. All that I wish is to find my proposals agreeable to you, and if my first are not, my second shall be, if I can but know what you wish. Did I say too much, my dear parents, when I said he was, if possible, kinder and kinder? O the blessed man, how I heart his overwhelm with his goodness. Well said he, my dearest, let me desire you to mention this to him, to see if they approve. But if it be your choice and theirs to have them nearer to you, or even under the same roof with you, I will freely consent to it. O no, sir, said I, and I feel most sinned in my grateful flood. I'm sure they would not choose that. They could not perhaps serve God so well if they were to live with you, for so constantly seeing the hand that blesses them, they would, it may be, as much as my care to avoid, be tempted to look no further than their gratitude than to the dear dispenser of such innumerable benefits. Excellent creature said he, my beloved wants no language or sentiments neither, and her charming thoughts so sweetly expressed would grace any language. And this is a blessing almost peculiar to my fairest. Your so kind acceptance, my Pamela, as added he, repays the benefit with interest and leaves me under obligation to your goodness. But now, my dearest, I will tell you what we will do with regard to points of your own private charity, for far be it from me to put under that name the subject we have been mentioning, because that, and more than that, is duty to persons so worthy and so nearly related to my Pamela, and as such to myself. I'll have a sweet man that do's me in thoughts, words, power, and everything. And this, he said, nies in very small compass. For I will allow you two hundred pounds a year, which longman shall constantly pay you at fifty pounds a quarter, for your own use, and of which I expect no account, to commence from the day you enter into my other house. I mean, said he, that the first fifty pounds shall then be due, because you shall have something to begin with. And, added the dear generous man, if this be pleasing to you, let it, since you say you want words, be signified with such a sweet kiss as you gave me yesterday. I hesitated not a moment to comply with these obliging terms, and threw my arms around his dear neck, bowing the chariot, and blessed his goodness to me. But indeed, sir, said I, bear this generous treatment. He was pleased to say, don't be uneasy, my dear, about these trifles. God has blessed me with a very good estate, and all of it in prosperous condition, and generally well-tenanted. I lay up money every year, and besides, have large sums in government and other securities. So you're all fine. What I have hitherto promised is very short of that proportion of my substance, which is my dearest wife you have a right to. In this sweet manner did we pass our time till evening, when the chariot bought us home. And then our supper succeeded in the same agreeable manner. And thus, in a rapturous circle, the time moves on, every hour bringing with it something more delightful than the past. Sure, nobody was ever so blessed as I. Sunday, the fourth day of my happiness. Not going to chapel this morning the reason of which I told you. I bestowed the time from the hour of my beloved's housing to breakfast, in prayer and thanksgiving in my closet. And now I begin to be quite easy, cheerful and free in my spirits. And the rather, as I find myself encouraged by the tranquillity and pleasing vivacity in the temper and behaviour of my husband, who thereby shows he does not repent of his goodness to me. I attended him to breakfast with great pleasure and freedom. And he seemed quite pleased with me and said, Now, thus my dearest begin to look upon me with an air of serenity and satisfaction. It shall always add to thee my delight to give you occasion for the sweet becoming aspect of confidence in pleasure in me. My heart, dear sirs, said I, is quite easy and has lost all its foolish tumours, which, combating with my gratitude, might give an unacceptable appearance to your favour. But now your goodness, sir, has enabled it to get the better of its uneasier apprehensions. And my heart is all of one piece and devoted to you, and grateful tranquillity. And could I be so happiest to see you on my good Lady David's reconcile, I shall have nothing in this world to wish for more, but the continuance of your favour. He said, I wish this reconciliation, and I do assure you more for your sake than my own, and if she would behave tolerably I should make the terms easier to her, for that's the reason. He said, I will lay down one rule for you, my Pamela, to observe in your dress, and I will tell you everything I like or dislike, as it occurs to me, and I would have you do the same on your part, that nothing may be upon either of our minds that may occasion the least reservedness. I have often observed in married folks that in a little while the Lady grows careless in her dress, which to me looks as if she would take no pains to secure the affection she has gained, and shows a slight to her husband that she had not to her lover. Now you must know this has always given me great offence, and I should not forgive it even in my Pamela, though she would have the excuse for herself that payasins could not make that she looks lovely in everything. So, my dear, I shall expect of you always to be dressed by dinner time, except something extraordinary happens, and this, whether you are to go abroad or stay at home. For this my love will continue to you that sweet ease in your dress and behaviour, which you are so happy and mistrust of, and whomesoever I bring home with me to my table you will be in readiness to receive them, and will not want to make those foolish apologies to unexpected visitors that carry with them a reflection on the conduct of those who make them. And besides will convince me that you think yourself obliged to appear as graceful to your husband as you would to persons less familiar with your sight. This, dear sir, said I, is a most obliging injunction, and I must hardly thank you for it, and will always take care to obey it. Why, my dear, said he, you may better do this than half your sex, because they too generally act in such a manner as if they seem to think that the privilege of birth and fortune to turn day into night and night into day, and assail them stirring till it is time to sit down to dinner. And so all the good old family rules are reversed. For they breakfast when they should dine, dine when they should sup, and sup when they should go to bed. And by the help of dear quadril sometimes go to bed when they ought to rise. In all things but these, my dear, continued he, I expect you to be a lady. And my good mother was one of this old-fashioned cut, and in all other respects as worthy a lady as any in the kingdom. And so you have not been used to the new way, and may ease your practice the other. Dear sir, said I, pray give me more of your sweet injunctions. My then continued he, I shall in the usual course and generally, if not hindered by company, like to go to bed with my dearest by eleven. And if I don't, shan't hinder you. I ordinarily now rise by six in summer. I will allow you to be half an hour after me or so. Then you'll have some little time you may call your own till you give me your company to breakfast, which may always be so, so that we may have done as a little after nine. Then you will have several hours again at your disposal till two o'clock when I shall like to sit down at table. You will then have several useful hours more to employ yourself as you best like, and I would generally go to supper by eight. And when we are resolved to stick to these old-fashioned rules as near as we can, we shall have our visitors conform to them too, and expect them from us, and suit themselves accordingly. For I have always observed that it is everyone's power to prescribe rules to himself. It is only standing a few ridiculous jests at first, and that too from such generally, as are not the most worthy to be minded. And after a while they will say it signifies nothing to ask him. He will have his own way. There was no putting him out of his bias. He is a regular piece of clockwork will they joke and all. And why, my dear, should we not be so? For man is as frail a piece of machinery as any clockwork whatever, and by irregularity is as subject to be disordered. Then, my dear, continue the charming man, when they see they are received at my own times with open countenance and cheerful heart, when they see plenty and variety at my board, and meet a kind and hearty welcome from us both, they will not offer to break in upon my conditions, nor grudge me my regular hours. And as most of these people have nothing to do except to rise in the morning, they may as well come to breakfast with us at half an hour after eight in summer, as at ten or eleven. To dinner at two, as is four, five or six, and to supper at eight, as at ten or eleven. And then our servants too will know generally the times of their business and the hours of their leisure and all recess, and we as well as those shall reap the benefits of this regularity. And who knows, my dear, but we may revive the good old fashion in our neighbourhood by this means. At least it will be doing our parts towards it and answering the good lesson I learnt at school. Every one mend one. And the worst that will happen will be that when some of my brother ranked such as those who broke in upon us so unwelcomely last Thursday, I got out of the way if that can ever be and begin to consider who they shall go to dine with in their ambles, they will only say, we must not go to him for his dinner time is over. And so they'll reserve me for another time. When they happen to suit it better or perhaps they will take our supper in bed with me instead of it. Now, my dearest, continued the kind man, you see here are more of my injunctions as you call them, and they all will not be so set as to quarrel if they are not always exactly complied with. Yet, as I know, you won't think them unreasonable. I shall be glad that they may, as often as they can. And you will give your orders accordingly to your Mrs Jarvis, who is a good woman, and will take pleasure in obeying you. Oh, dearest, dear sir, said I, have you nothing more to honor me with? You oblige and improve me at the same time. What a happy lot is mine. Well, let me see, my dearest, said he. But I think of no more at present. For I'd be needless to say how much I value you for your natural sweetness of temper, and that open cheerfulness of countenance which adorns you, when nothing has given my fairest apprehensions for her virtue. A sweetness and a cheerfulness that pre-possesses in your favor at first sight the mind of everyone that behold you. I need not, I hope, say I would have you diligently preserve this sweet appearance, that no thwarting accident, no cross-fortune, for we must not expect to be exempt from such happy as we are now in each other, deprive this sweet face of its principal grace. And when anything unpleasing happens, in court of an hour, and farther, begin to mistrust yourself, and apply to your glass, and if you see a glimmer rising or a risen, banish it instantly. Smooth your dear countenance, resume your form of composure, and then, my dearest, whose heart must always be seen in her face, and cannot be a hypocrite, will find this a means to smooth her passions also. And if the occasion be too strong for so sudden a conquest, she will know how to do it more effectively by repairing to her closet, and begging that gracious assistance which has never yet failed her. And so shall I, my dear, who, as you once but through justly observed, have been too much indulged by my good mother, have an example from you, as well as a pleasure in you, which will never be pulled. One thing he entuned he, I have frequently observed at the house of many a gentleman, that when we unexpectedly visited or broken in upon the family order laid down by the lady, and especially if any of us have laid under the suspicion of having occasionally seduced our married companion into bad hours, or given in different examples, the poor gentleman has been oddly affected at our coming, though the good breeding of the lady has made her just keep up appearances. His look so conscious has been so afraid, as it were, to this oblige, has made so many excuses for some of us, before we have been accused, that have always shown me how unwelcome we have been, and how much he is obliged to compound with his lady for a tolerable reception of us, and perhaps she too, in proportion to the honest man's consign to court her smile, has been more reserved, stiff and formal, and has been haved with an indifference and slight, that has often made me wish myself out of her house. To a too plainly I have seen not his. This, my dear, will judge by my description, has afforded me subjects for a mere diversion upon the married life, for a man may not, though in the main he is willing to flatter himself that he is master of the household, and will assert his prerogative upon great occasions when it is strongly invaded, be always willing to contend, and such women as those I have described are always ready to take the field and are worse enemies than Barthens, who annoy most when they seem to retreat, and never fail to return to the charge again, and carry on the offensive war till they have tired out resistance, and made the husband willing, like a vanquished denny, to compound for small matters in order to preserve something. At least the poor man does not care to let his friends see his case, and so will not provoke a fire to break out that he sees, and so do his friends too. The meek lady has much adieu to smother, and which very possibly burns with the most comfortable ardour after we have gone. You smile, my Pamela said here at this whimsical picture, and I am sure I shall never have reason to include you in these disagreeable outlines. But yet I will say that I expect from you, whoever comes to my house, that you accustom yourself to one even uniform compliance, that no frown takes place on your brow, that however ill or well provided we may be for their reception and you show no flutter or discomposure, that whoever you may have in your company at the time you signify not, by the least reserved look, that the stranger has come upon you unseasonably, or at a time you wished you had not. But be facetious, kind, obliging to all, and if to one more than on the other, to such as have the least reason to expect it from you, or who are the most inferior at the table. For thus will you, my Pamela, cheer the doubting mind, quiet the uneasy heart, and diffuse ease, pleasure, and tranquility around my board. And be sure, my dear continuity, let no little accidents ruffle your temper. I shall never forget once I was at Lady Arthur's, and a footman happened to stumble and let fall a fine china dish and broke it all to pieces. It was grievous to see the uneasiness that gave the poor idea, and she was so sincere in it that she suffered it to spread all over the company, and it was a pretty large one too, and not a person in it, but turned either her consola or fell into stories if the light was fortunes. And so we all became, for the rest of the evening, nothing but blundering footmen and careless servants, or were turned into broken jars, glates, glasses, teacups, and such brittle substances. And it affected me so much that when I came home I went to bed and dreamt that Robin, with the handle of his whip, broke the full glass of my chariot, and I was so solicitous, me thought, to keep the good lady and countenance for her anger that I broke his head in revenge and stabbed one of my co-tourses. And all the comfort I had when it was done, me thought, was that I had not expressed myself before company, and there were no sufferers but guilty Robin and one innocent co-tours. I was exceedingly diverted with the facetious hints and the pleasant manner in which he gave them, and I promised to improve by the excellent lessons contained in them. I then went up and dressed myself as like a bride as I could in my best clothes, and on inquiry hearing my dearest master was gone to walk in the garden, I went to find him out. He was reading in the little alcove, and I said, Sir, am I licensed to intrude upon you? No, my dear, said he, because you cannot intrude. I am so holy yours that wherever I am you have not only a right to join me, but you do me a very acceptable favour at the same time. I have, sir, said I, obeyed your first kind injunction as to dressing myself before dinner, but maybe you are busy, sir. He put up the papers he was reading and said, I can have no business or pleasure of equal value to your company, my dear. What were you going to say? Only, sir, to know if you have any more kind injunctions to give me, I could hear you talk a whole day together. You are very obliging, Pamela, said he, but you are so perfectly what I wished that I may have spared those I gave you. But I was willing you should have a taste of my freedom with you to put you upon the like with me. For I am confident there can be no friendships lasting without freedom and without communicating to one another, even the little caprices, if my Pamela can have any such which may occasion uneasiness to either. No, my dear, said he, be so kind as to find some fault with me and tell me what you would wish me to do if I was capable to you. Oh, sir, said I, and I could have kissed him but for shame, to be sure I shall grow a sad fond fuzzy. I have not one single thing to wish for, no, not one. He solicited me very kindly and said he should be sorry if I had and forbore to speak then. Do you think, dear, sir, said I, that your Pamela has no conscience? Do you think that because you so kindly oblige her that she must rack her invention for trials of your goodness and knows not when she is happy? Oh, my dear, asserted I, less than one half of the favours you have so generously conferred upon me, was that of exceeded my uttermost wishes. My dear Angel said he and kissed me again. I shall be troublesome to you with my kisses if you continue thus sweetly obligingly in your actions and expressions. I have been thinking as I was dressing myself what excellent lessons you teach me. When you commanded me at your table to cheer the doubting mind and comfort the uneasy heart and to behave most kindly to those who have the least reason to expect it and are the most inferior, how sweetly in every instant that could possibly occur have you done this yourself by your poor unworthy Pamela, till you have diffused in your own, dear words ease pleasure and tranquility around my glad heart. Then serve when you bid me not be disturbed by little accidents or by strangers coming in upon me unexpectedly, how noble an instance did you give me of this, when on a happy wedding day the coming of Sir Charles Hargrave and the other two gentlemen for which you were quite unprovided and which hindered our happiness of dining together on that chosen day, did not so disturb you, but that you entertained the gentlemen pleasantly and parted with them civilly and kindly. What charming instances are these I have been recollecting with pleasure of you pursuing the doctrine you deliver. My dear city, these observations are very kind in you and much to my advantage, but if I do not always for fear these were too much accidents so well pursue the doctrines I lay down, my Pamela must not expect that my imperfections will be a plea for her non-observance of my lessons as you may call them. For I doubt I shall ever be half so perfect as you and so I cannot permit you to recede in your goodness, though I may find myself unable to advance as I ought her in my duty. I hope so, said I, by God's grace, I never shall. I believe it, said he, but I only mention this knowing my own defects, that my future lessons should not be so well warranted by my practice as in the instances you have so kindly recollected. He was pleased to take notice of my dress and spanning my waist with his hands said, what a sweet shape is here it would make one regret to lose it. And yet, my beloved Pamela, I shall think nothing but that lost wanting to complete my happiness. I put my bold hand before his mouth and said, hush, hush! Oh, fire, sir! I know you have ever said since I have been yours. He kissed my hand and said such an innocent wish, my dearest, may be permitted, because it is the end of the institution. But say, would such a case be unwelcome to my Pamela? I would say so, said I, and hid my blushing face on his bosom that your wishes and everything shall be mine. But pray, sir, say no more. He kindly saluted me and thanked me as the subject. I was not too free, I hope. Thus we talked till we heard the coaches, and then he said stay here in the garden, my dear, and I'll bring the company to you. And when he was gone, I passed by the back door, kneeled down against it, and blessed God for not permitting my then so much desire and escape. I went to the pond and kneeled down on the mossy bank, and again blessed God there for his mercy and my escape for myself, my then worst enemy, though I thought I had none but enemies and no friend near me. And so I ought to do in almost every step of this garden and every room in this house. And I was bending thy steps to the dearly chapel to make my acknowledgement there, but saw the company coming towards me. Miss Danford said, so, Miss Andrews, how do you do now? You look so easy, so sweetly, so pleased, that I know you'll let me dance at your wedding, for I shall long to be there. Lady Jones was pleased to say I looked like an angel, and Mrs. Peters said I improved upon them every time they saw me. Lady Danford was also pleased to make me a fine compliment, and said I looked freer and easier every time she saw me. Dear heart, I wish, thought I, you would spare these compliments, for I shall have some joke I doubt by and by, that will make me suffer for all these fine things. Mr. Peters said, God bless you, dear daughter, but not so much as my wife knows it. So Simon came in last and taught me by the hand, and said, Mr. Bee, by your leave, and kissed my hand five or six times as if he were man, and held it with both his, and made a very free jest by way of compliment in his way. An old rake and an old bow were two very sad things, and all this before daughters, women, grown. I whispered to my dearest, little laughter, and said, I fear I shall suffer much from Sir Simon's rude jokes by and by when you reveal the matter. To his way, my dear, said he, you must now grow above these things. This nanny Danford said to me, with a sort of half-grave, ironical air, well, Miss Andrews, if I may judge by your easy deportment now to what it was when I saw you last, I hope you will let my sister, if you want me, see the happy not tired, for she is quite wild about it. I curtsied and only said you are all very good to me, ladies. Mrs. Peter's niece said, well, Miss Andrews, I hope before we part we shall be told the happy day. My good master heard her and said, you shall, you shall, madam, that's pure, said Miss Danford. He took me aside and said softly, shall I lead them to the alcove and tell them there, or stay till we go into dinner? Neither, sir, I think, said I, I fear I shall not stand it. Nay, said he, they must know it. I would not have invited them else. Why, then, sir, said I, let it be alone till they are going away. Then, he replied he, you must pull off your ring. No, no, sir, said I, that I must not. Well, said he, do you tell Miss Danford of it yourself? Indeed, sir, answered I, I cannot. Mrs. Drux came efficiently to ask my master just then if she should bring a glass of renish and sugar before dinner for the gentlemen and ladies. And he said, let's well thought of, bring it, Mrs. Drux. He came with Nan attending her with two bottles and glasses and a silver. He must needs making a low curtsy offered first to me, saying, will your ladyship begin? I coloured like scarlet and said, no, my master, to be sure. But they all took the hint and Mrs. Danford said, I'll be hanged if they have not stolen a wedding, said Mrs. Peters. It must certainly be so. Ah, Mr. Peters. I'll assure you, said he, what were you, said she and Mr. Williams last Thursday morning. I said, Sir Simon, let me alone, let me alone. If anything has been stolen, I'll find it out. I'm a justice of the peace, you know. And so he took me by the hand and said, come, madam, answer me, by the oath you have taken, are you married or not? My master smiled to see me look so like a fool and I said, praise Sir Simon. I said he, I thought you did not look so smirking upon us for nothing. Well then, Pamela, said my master, since your blushers discover you, don't be ashamed, but confess the truth. Now, said Mrs. Danford, I am quite angry. And said, Lady Danford, I am quite pleased, let me give you joy, dear madam, if it be so. And so they all said and saluted me round. I was vexed that was before Mrs. Dukes for she shook her fat sides and seemed highly pleased to be a means of life. Nobody said my master wishes me joy. No, said Lady Jane's very obligingly, nobody need. For such a peerless spouse you want no good wishes. And he saluted them, and when he came last to me, said before them, now my sweet bride, my Pamela, let me conclude with you. For here I began to love and here I desire to end loving, but not until my life ends. This was sweetly said and taken great notice of. And it was doing credit to his own generous choice and vastly more than I merited. But I was forced to stand many more jokes afterwards. For so Simon said several times, come, come, madam, now you become one of us, I shall be a little less groupless than I have been, I assure you. When we came into dinner, I made no difficulty of what all offered me, the upper end of the table, and performed the honours of it with pretty tolerable presence of mind, considering. And with much ado, my good benefactor promising to be down again before winter. We got off the ball, but appointed Tuesday evenings at Lady Darnford's to take leave of all this good company who promised to be there. My master's designings were set out on Wednesday morning for Bedfordshire. We had prayers in the little chapel in the afternoon, but they all wished for the good clerk again, with great aconiums upon you, my dear father. And the company stayed supper also and departed exceedingly well satisfied, and with abundance of wishes for the continuance of our mutual happiness. And my master's design missed the Peters to answer for him to the ringers of the town, if they should hear of it, till I return into this country, and then he would be bountiful to them, because he would not publicly declare it unless he was done so in Bedfordshire. End of Section 26 Section 27 of Pamela or Virtue Rewarded This is a Librebox recording. All Librebox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit Librebox.org. Pamela or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson Section 27 The greatest part of the company having sat down to Lou, my master being pressed said he would take one game at Wist, but had rather be excused to having been up all night, and I asked how his friend did. We'll talk of that, said he another time, which, and his seriousness, made me fear the poor gentleman was dead, as it proved. We cast in, and Miss Burroughs and my master were together, and Mr. Perry and I, and I had all four honours the first time, and we were up at one deal, said my master. An honourable hand, Pamela, should go with an honourable heart, but you'd not have been up if a nave had not been won. Wist, sir, said Mr. Perry, you know, was a court game originally, and the nave, I suppose, signified always the prime minister. Tis well, said my master, if now there is but one nave in a court, out of four persons, take the court through. The king and queen, sir, said Mr. Perry, can do no wrong, you know. So there are two that must be good out of four, and the ace seems too plain a card to mean much hurt. We compliment the king, said my master, in that manner, and tis well to do so, because something sacred in the character. But yet if force of example be considered, it is going a great way, for certainly a good master makes a good servant, generally speaking. One thing, added he, I will say, in regard to the ace. I have always looked upon that plain and honest looking card in the light you do, and have considered Wist, as an English game in its original, which has made me fonder of it than any other, for by the ace thought, the laws of the land denoted, and as the ace is above the king or queen, and wins them, I think the law should be thought so too, though maybe I shall be deemed a wig for my opinion. I shall never play Wist, said Mr. Perry without thinking of this, and shall love the game the better for the thought, though I am no party man, nor I, said my master, for I think the distinctions of wig and tory one or the other, only as they are honest and worthy men, and have never, nor never shall hope, given a vote but according to what I thought was for the public good, that either wig or tory propose it. I wish, sir, replied Mr. Perry, all gentlemen in your station would act so. If there was no undue influence, said my master, I am willing to think so well of all mankind that I believe they generally but you see, said he, by my Pamela's hand, when all the court cards get together and are acted by one mind the game is usually turned courtingly, though now and then too, it may be so circumstance that honors will do them no good, and they are forced to depend all together upon tricks. I thought this way of talking prettier than the game itself, but I said though I have won the game faster. No, said my master. God forbid, but court cards should sometimes win with honor. But you see, for all that your game is as much owing to the nave as the king. And you, my fair one, lost no advantage when it was put into your power. Else, sir, said I, I should not have done justice to my partner. You are certainly right, Pamela, replied he, though you thereby beat me. You may be my partner next. And I must do justice, you know. Well, said he, always choose so worthy a friend as chance has given you for a partner, and I shall never find fault with you. Do what you will. Mr. Perry said, you are very good to me, sir. And Miss Burroughs, I observed, seemed pleased with the compliment to her humble servant. By which I saw she esteemed him as he appeared to deserve. Dear sir, said I, how much better is this than to be locked in by Lady Davers? The supper was brought in sooner on my account, because I had had no dinner, and there passed very agreeable compliments on the occasion. Lady Darnford would help me first, because I had so long fasted, as she said. Sir Simon would have placed himself next to me, and my master said he thought it was best, where there was an equal number of ladies gentlemen, that they should sit intermingled, that the gentlemen might be employed in helping and serving the ladies. Lady Darnford said, she hoped Sir Simon would not sit above any ladies at his own table especially. Well said he, I shall sit over against her, however, and that says well, my dearest sir could not keep his eyes off me, and seem generously delighted with all I did and all I said. And everyone was pleased to see his kind and affectionate behavior to me. Lady Jones brought up the discourse about Lady Davers again, and my master said, I fear Pamela, you have been hardly used more than you'll say. I know my sister's passionate temper too well to believe she could be over-civil to you, especially as it happened so unluckily that I was out. If added he, she had no peak to you, my dear. Yet what has passed between her and me has so exasperated her that I know she would have quarreled with my horse if she had thought I valued it, and nobody else was in her way. Dear sir, said I, don't say so of good Lady Davers. Why, my dear, said he, I know she came on purposed quarrel and had she not found herself under a very violent uneasiness after what had passed between us and my treatment of her lord's letter, she would not have offered to come near me. What sort of language had she for me, Pamela? Oh, sir, very good, only her well-mannered brother and such as that. Only, said he, tis taking up the attention of the company disagreeably, or I could tell you almost every word she said. Lady Jones wished to hear a further account of my lady's conduct, and most of the company joined with her, particularly Mrs. Peters, who said that as they knew the story and Lady Davers' temper, though she was very good in the main, they could wish to be so agreeably entertained if he and I pleased, because they imagined I should have no difficulties after this. Tell me then, Pamela, said he, did she lift up her hand at you? Did she strike you? But I hope not. A little slap of the hand, said I, or so. Insolent woman, she did not I hope offer to strike your face. Why, said I, I was a little saucy once or twice, and she would have given me a cuff on the ear if her woman and Mrs. Jukes had not interposed. Why did you not come out at the door? Because, said I, her ladyship sat in the chair against it, one while and another while locked it, else I offered several times to get away. She knew I expected you here. You say you showed her my letter to you? Yes, sir, said I. But I had better not, for she has then more exasperated and made strange comments upon it. I doubt it not, said he, but did she not see by the kind epithets in it that there was no room to doubt of our being married? Oh, sir, replied I, and made the company smile. She said, for that very reason she was sure I was not married. That's like my sister, said he, exactly like her, and yet she lives very happily herself for her poor lord never contradicts her. Indeed, he dares not. You were a great many wenches, were you not, my dear? For that's a great word with her. Yes, sir, said I, wenches and creatures out of number, and worse than all that. What? Tell me, my dear. Sir, said I, I must not have you angry with Lady Davvers. While you are so good to me, tis all only the trouble I have that I cannot be suffered to show how much I honoured her ladyship as your sister. Well, said he, you need not be afraid to tell me. I must love her after all, though I shall not be pleased with her on this occasion. I know it is her love for me, though thus oddly expressed that makes her so uneasy, and after all, she comes, I'm sure, to be reconciled to me, though it must be through party quarrel first, for she can show a good deal of sunshine, but it must be always after a storm. And I'll love her dearly if she has not been, and will not be, too hard upon my dearest. Mr. Peters said, Sir, you are very good and very kind. I love to see this complacence to your sister, though she be in fault, so long as you can show it with so much justice and innocence and merit in the world. By all that's good, Mr. Peters said he, I'd present my sister with a thousand pounds, if she would kindly take my dear Pamela by the hand and wish her joy and call her sister, and yet I should be unworthy of the dear creature that smiles upon me there, if it was not, principally for her sake, and the pleasure it would give her, that I say this, for I will never be bowed to my sister till she does, for I most sincerely think, as to myself, that my dear wife, there she sits, does me more honour in her new relation than she receives from me. Sir, said I, I am overwhelmed with your goodness, and my eyes were filled with tears of joy and gratitude, and all the company with one voice blessed him, and Lady Jones was pleased to say, the behaviour of you two leads to each other, is the most edifying I ever knew. I am always improved when I see you. How happy would every good lady be with such a gentleman, and every good gentleman, with such a lady. In short, you seem made for one another. O Madam, said I, you are so kind, so good to me, that I know not how to thank you enough. Said she, you deserve more than I can express for, to all that you are a matchless person, you are an ornament to our sex. And your virtue, though Mr. B. is so generous as he is, has met with no more than its due reward. God long bless you together. You are, said my dearest sir. Very good to me, Madam, I am sure. I have taken liberties in my former life that deserved not so much excellence. I have offended extremely by trials glorious to my Pamela, but disgraceful to me, against a virtue that I now consider as almost sacred, and I shall not think I deserve her till I can bring my manners, my sentiments, and my actions to a conformity with her own. In short, my Pamela continuity, I want you to be nothing but what you are, and have been. You cannot be better, and if you could, it would be but filling me to attain the awful heights of virtue at which you have arrived. Perhaps, added the dear gentleman, the scene I have beheld within these twelve hours has made me more serious than otherwise I should have been, but I'll assure you, before all this good company I speak the sentiments of my heart, and those not of this day only. What a happy daughter is yours, oh dear father and mother. I owe it all to yours and my good lady's instructions, and to these let me always look back with grateful acknowledgments, that I may not impute to myself and be proud my inexpressible happiness. The company were so kindly pleased with our concern, and my dear master's goodness, that he, observing their indulgence and being himself curious to know the further particulars of what had passed between me, repeated his question what she had called me besides wench and creature. And I said, my lady's supposing I was wicked, lamented over me very kindly my depravity and fall, and said, what a thousand pitties it was, so much virtue, as she was pleased to say, was so destroyed, and that I had yielded after so noble a stand, as she said. Excuse me, gentlemen ladies, said I. You know my story. It seems, and I am commanded, by one who has a title to all my obedience, to proceed. They gave all of them boughs of approbation, that they might not interrupt me, and I continued my story, the men servants withdrawing at a motion of Mr. B. on my looking towards them, and then, at Lady Darnford's coming in, I proceeded. I was still innocent, and would be so, and it was injurious to suppose me otherwise. Why tell me, wench, said she, but I think I must not tell you what she said. Yes, do, said my master, to clear my sister, we shall think it very bad else. I held my hand before my face. Why, she said, tell me, wench, hast thou not been hesitating, a very effective effect, and when I said, she asked strange questions and in strange words, she ridiculed my delicacy as she called it, and said my niceness would not last long. She said I must know, I was not really married, that my ring was only a sham, and all was my cunning to cloak my yielding and get better terms. She said she knew the world as much as I did at sixteen, and bid me remember that. I took the liberty to say, but I got a good way off, that I scorned her ladyship's words, and was as much married as her ladyship, and then I had certainly been cuffed if her woman had not interposed, and told her I was not worthy her anger, and that I was as much to be pitied for my credulity as despised for my vanity. This was too, too hard upon you. Oh, sir, said I, how much easier it was to me than if it had been so. That would have broken my heart quite, for then I should have deserved it all, and worse, and these reproaches added to my own guilt would have made me truly wretched. Lady Darnford at whose right hand I sat kissed me with a kind of rapture, and called me a sweet exemplar for all my things. So did Mr. Perry, and Sir Simon, with tears in his eyes, said to my master, Why, neighbor, neighbor, this is excellent by my truth. I believe there is something in virtue that we had not well considered. On my soul there has been but one angel come down for these thousand years, and you have got her. Well, my dearest, said my master, pray proceed with your story until we have done supper since the ladies seemed pleased with it. Why, sir, said I, her ladieship went on in the same manner, but said one time, and helped me by the hand, she would give me an hundred genies for one provoking word, or if I would but say I believed myself married, that she might fell me at her foot. But, sir, you must not be angry with her ladieship. She called me painted dirt, baby face, waiting maid, beggars brat born, but I said, as long as I knew my innocence I was easy in everything, but to have my dear parents abused. They were never beggars, nor beholden to anybody, nor to anything but God's grace and their own labor, that they once lived on credit, that misfortunes might befall anybody, and that I could not bear they should be treated so undeservedly. Then her ladieship said I, she would make us set up for a family, and that the herald's office would shortly be searched to make it out. Exactly my sister again, said he, so you could not please her anyway? No indeed, sir. When she commanded me to fill her a glass of wine, and would not let her woman do it, she asked if I was above it. I then said, if to attend your ladieship at table, or even kneel at your feet was me, I would most gladly do it. Were I only the person you thank me? But if it be to triumph over one who has received honors, which she thinks require from her another part, that she may not be utterly unworthy of them, I must say I cannot do it. This quite astonished her ladieship, and a little before her kinsmen brought me the bottle in glass, and required me to fill it for my lady at her command, and I said, tis in a good hand, help my lady yourself. So, sir, added I, you see, I could be a little saucy upon occasion. You please me well, my Pamela, said he. This was quite right, but proceed. Her ladieship said she was astonished, adding she supposed I would have her look upon me as her brother's wife, and asked me what in the name of impudence possessed me to dare to look upon her as her sister, and I said that was a question better became her most worthy brother to answer than me, and then I thought I should have had her ladieship upon me, but her woman interposed. I afterwards told Mrs. Jukes at the window that since I was hindered from going to you I believed it was best to let Robert go with the chariot, and to say Lady Dabbers was come, and I was pleased, and I thought it would too, for she said, no, no, he'll think I made the creature my companion, and know not how to part with her. Exactly said he, my sister again, and she said, I knew nothing what belonged to people of condition. How should I? What shall I say, madam, said I? Nothing at all answered she. Let him expect his dearest love, alluding to your kind should be disappointed. It is but adding a few more hours to this heavy absence, and every one will become a day in his amorous account. So to be short I saw nothing was to be done, and I feared, sir, you would wonder at my stay and be angry, and I watched my opportunity till my lady who was walking about the room was at the further end. And the parlor, being a ground floor in a window, and ran for it. Her ladyship called after me, subded her woman, and I heard her say, I flew like a bird, and she called two of her servants in sight to stop me, but I said, touch me at your peril, fellows, and Mr. Colbrand, having been planted at hand by Mrs. Jukes, who was very good in the whole affair and incurred her ladyship's displeasure once or twice by taking my part. The fierce look cocked his hat with one hand, and put tether on his sword, and said he would chime the man who offered to touch his lady, and so he ran alongside of me, and could hardly keep pace with me. And here, my dear sir, concluded I, I am at yours and the good company's service. They seemed highly pleased with my relation, and my master said he was glad Mrs. Jukes went. Yes, sir, said I. When Mrs. Jukes interposed once, her ladyship said, it was hard she, who was born in that house, could not have some privilege in it without being talked to by the saucy servants, and she called her another time fat-face and womaned her most violently. Well said my master, I am glad, my dear, you have had such an escape. My sister was always passionate as Peter's nose, and my poor mother had enough to do with us both, for we neither was wanted spirit, and when I was a boy, I never came home from school or college for a few days, but though we longed to see one another before, yet ere the first day was over we had a quarrel, for she, being seven years older than I, was always for domineering over me, and constantly quarreling with the maids, and being always at a word and a blow, to call her Captain Bab, for her name is Barbara, and when my lord Davvers courted her, my poor mother has made up quarrels between them three times in a day, and I used to tell her, she would certainly beat her husband marry whom she would, if he did not beat her first and break her spirit. Yet she was a dutiful daughter, is a good wife, she is bountiful to her servants, firm in her friendships, charitable to the poor, and I believe never any sister better loved a brother than she me, and yet she always loved to vex and tease me, and as I would bear a resentment longer than she, she'd be one moment the most provoking creature in the world, and the next would do anything to be forgiven, and I would say to the dresser, follow me all over the house and garden to be upon good terms with me. But this case peaks her more because she had found out a match for me in the family of a person of quality, and had set her heart upon bringing it to effect, and had even proceeded far in it without my knowledge, and brought me into the lady's company, unknowing of her design. But I was then averse to matrimony at her proceeding in it so far without my privity or encouragement, and she cannot for this reason bear the thoughts of my being now married, and to her mother's waiting made, too, as she reminds my dear Pamela when I had declined her proposal with the daughter of a noble Earl. This is the whole case, said he, and allowing for the pride and violence of her spirit, and that she knows not as I do in excellencies of my dear Pamela, and that all her view in her own conception is mine and the family on her. She is a little to be allowed for, though never fear my Pamela, but that I, who never had a struggle with her, wherein I did not get the better, will do you justice, and myself, too. This account of Lady Davar's pleased everybody, and was far from being to her ladyship's disadvantage in vain, and I would do anything in the world to have the honour to be in her good graces. Yet I fear it will not be easily if at all affected, but I will proceed. After supper nothing would serve Miss Darnford and Miss Burroughs, but we must have a dance, and Mr. Peters, who plays a good fiddle, urged it forward. My dear master, though in a riding-dress, took out Miss Burroughs. Sir Simon, took me out, but put on one of his free jokes that I was fitter to dance with a younger man, and he would have it. Though I had not danced since my dear lady's death to signify, except once or twice to please Mrs. Jarvis, and indeed believed all my dancing days over, that as my master and I were the best dancers, we should dance once together before folks, as the odd gentleman said. And my dear sir was pleased to oblige him. And afterwards danced with Miss Darnford, who has much more skill and judgment than I, though they compliment me with an easier shape and air. We left the company with great difficulty at about eleven, my dear master having been up all night before, and we being at the greatest distance from home, though they seemed inclinable not to break up so over neighbors, and the ladies said they longed to hear what would be the end of Lady Davar's interview with her brother. My master said, he feared we must not now think of going next day to Bedfordshire, as we had intended, and perhaps might see them again. And so we took leave and set out for home, where we arrived not till twelve o'clock, and found Lady Davar's had gone to bed about eleven, wanting sadly that we should come home first. But so did not I. Mrs. Jukes told us that my lady was sadly fretted that I had got away so and seemed a little apprehensive of what I would say of the usage I had received from her. She asked Mrs. Jukes if she thought I was really married, and Mrs. Jukes telling her yes, she fell into a passion and said, Be gone, bold woman, I cannot bear thee, see not face till I send for thee. Thou hast been very impudent to me once or twice today already and art now worse than ever. She said she would not have told her ladyship if she had not asked her, and was sorry she had offended. She sent for her at supper time, said she, I have another question to ask the woman, and tell me yes if thou darest. Was ever anything so odd? Why then, said Mrs. Jukes, I before your ladyship speaks. My master laughed. Poor woman, said he. She called her insolent and assurance and said, Be gone, bold woman, as thou art, but come hither. Does thou know if that young harlot is to be with my brother to-night? She said she knew not what to answer because she had threatened her if she said yes. But at last my lady said, I will know the bottom of it. I suppose they won't have so much impudence to be together while I'm in the house. But I daresay they have been bed-fellows. Said she, I will lie to-night in the room I was born in. So get that bed ready. That room, being our bed-chamber, Mrs. Jukes after some hesitation replied, Madam, my master lies there and has the key. I believe, woman, said she, thou tellest me a story. Indeed, Madam, said she, was, and has some papers there he will let nobody see. For Mrs. Jukes said, she feared she would beat her if she went up and found by my clothes and some of my masters how it was. So, she said, I will then lie in the best room, as it is called, and Jackie shall lie in the little green room adjoining to it. Has thy master got the keys of those? No, Madam, said Mrs. Jukes. I will order them to be made ready ship. And where dost thou lay thy Percy sides? said she, up two pairs of stairs, Madam, next to the garden. And where lies the young harlotry? continued she. Sometimes with me, Madam, said she, and sometimes with thy virtuous master, I suppose, said my lady. Ha, woman, what sayest thou? I must not speak, said Mrs. Jukes. Well, thou mayest go, said she, but thou hast the air secret keeper of that sort, I dare say, thou set the good work forward most cordially. Poor Mrs. Jukes said my master, and laughed most heartily. This talk we had whilst we were undressing. So she and her woman lay together in the room my master lay in before I was happy. I said, dearest sir, pray in the morning let me lock myself up in the closet as soon as you arise, and not be called down for ever so much, for I am afraid to see her ladyship, and I will employ myself about my journal, while these things are in my head. Don't be afraid, my dear, said he. Am not I with you? Mrs. Jukes pitied me for what I had undergone in the day, and I said we won't make the worst of it to my dear master, because we won't exasperate where we would oblige to you, Mrs. Jukes, and I thank you, said my master. I hope she did not beat your lady, Mrs. Jukes. Not much, sir, said she, but I believe I saved my lady once. Yet added she, I was most vexed at the young lord. I, Mrs. Jukes, said my master, let me know his behavior. I can chastise him, though I cannot, my sister, who is a woman, let me therefore know what part he acted. Dear sir, said I, but impertinence, if I may so say, and foolishness that was most provoking. But I spared him not, and so there is no room, sir, for your anger. No, sir, said Mrs. Jukes, nothing else indeed. How was her woman, said my master? Pretty impertinent, replied Mrs. Jukes, as lady's women will be. But, said I, you know she saved me, madam, returned Mrs. Jukes. And she said to me at table that you were a sweet creature, she never saw your equal, but that you had a spirit, and she was sorry you answered her lady so, who never bore so much contradiction before. I told her, added Mrs. Jukes, that if I was in your ladyship's place I should have taken much more upon me, and that you were all sweetness. And she said I was God over, she saw. End of section 27.