Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded
good man; and will bring a blessing upon every house he sets his foot
in.
My dear father wept for joy; and I could not refrain keeping him
company. And my master, saluting me, bid us good night, and retired.
And I waited upon my dear father, and was so full of prattle, of my
master’s goodness, and my future prospects, that I believed afterwards
I was turned all into tongue: but he indulged me, and was transported
with joy; and went to bed, and dreamed of nothing but Jacob’s ladder,
and angels ascending and descending, to bless him and his daughter.
Saturday.
I arose early in the morning; but found my father was up before me, and
was gone to walk in the garden. I went to him: and with what delight,
with what thankfulness, did we go over every scene of it, that had
before been so dreadful to me! The fish-pond, the back-door, and every
place. O what reason had we for thankfulness and gratitude!
About seven o’clock my good master joined us, in his morning gown and
slippers; and looking a little heavy, I said, Sir, I fear you had not
good rest last night. That is your fault, Pamela, said he. After I went
from you, I must needs look into your papers, and could not leave them
till I had read them through; and so ’twas three o’clock before I went
to sleep. I wish, sir, said I, you had had better entertainment. The
worst part of it, said he, was what I had brought upon myself; and you
have not spared me. Sir, said I—He interrupting me, said, Well, I
forgive you. You had too much reason for it. But I find, plainly
enough, that if you had got away, you would soon have been Williams’s
wife: and I can’t see how it could well have been otherwise. Indeed,
sir, said I, I had no notion of it, or of being any body’s. I believe
so, said he; but it must have come as a thing of course; and I see your
father was for it. Sir, said he, I little thought of the honour your
goodness would confer upon her; and I thought that would be a match
above what we could do for her, a great deal. But when I found she was
not for it, I resolved not to urge her; but leave all to her own
prudence.
I see, said he, all was sincere, honest, and open; and I speak of it,
if it had been done, as a thing that could hardly well be avoided; and
I am quite satisfied. But, said he, I must observe, as I have a hundred
times, with admiration, what a prodigious memory, and easy and happy
manner of narration, this excellent girl has! And though she is full of
her pretty tricks and artifices, to escape the snares I had laid for
her, yet all is innocent, lovely, and uniformly beautiful. You are
exceedingly happy in a daughter; and I hope I shall be so in a wife—Or,
said my father, may she not have that honour! I fear it not, said he;
and I hope I shall deserve it of her.
But, Pamela, said my master, I am sorry to find in some parts of your
journal, that Mrs. Jewkes carried her orders a little too far: and I
the more take notice of it, because you have not complained to me of
her behaviour, as she might have expected for some parts of it; though
a good deal was occasioned by my strict orders.—But she had the
insolence to strike my girl, I find. Sir, said I, I was a little
provoking, I believe; but as we forgave one another, I was the less
entitled to complain of her.
Well, said he, you are very good; but if you have any particular
resentment, I will indulge it so far, as that she shall hereafter have
nothing to do where you are. Sir, said I, you are so kind, that I ought
to forgive every body; and when I see that my happiness is brought
about by the very means that I thought then my greatest grievance, I
ought to bless those means, and forgive all that was disagreeable to me
at the same time, for the great good that hath issued from it.—That,
said he, and kissed me, is sweetly considered! and it shall be my part
to make you amends for what you have suffered, that you may still think
lighter of the one, and have cause to rejoice in the other.
My dear father’s heart was full; and he said, with his hands folded,
and lifted up, Pray, sir, let me go—let me go—to my dear wife, and tell
her all these blessed things, while my heart holds; for it is ready to
burst with joy! Good man! said my master—I hope to hear this honest
heart of yours speaking at your lips. I enjoin you, Pamela, to continue
your relation, as you have opportunity; and though your father be here,
write to your mother, that this wondrous story be perfect, and we, your
friends, may read and admire you more and more. Ay, pray, pray do, my
child, said my father; and this is the reason that I write on, my dear
mother, when I thought not to do it, because my father could tell you
all that passed while he was here.
My master took notice of my psalm, and was pleased to commend it; and
said, That I had very charitably turned the last verses, which, in the
original, were full of heavy curses, to a wish that shewed I was not of
an implacable disposition though my then usage might have excused it,
if I had. But, said he, I think you shall sing it to me to-morrow.
After we have breakfasted, added he, if you have no objection, Pamela,
we’ll take an airing together; and it shall be in the coach, because
we’ll have your father’s company. He would have excused himself; but my
master would have it so: but he was much ashamed, because of the
meanness of his appearance.
My master would make us both breakfast with him on chocolate; and he
said, I would have you, Pamela, begin to dress as you used to do; for
now, at least, you may call your two other bundles your own; and if you
want any thing against the approaching occasion, private as I design
it, I’ll send to Lincoln for it, by a special messenger. I said, My
good lady’s bounty, and his own, had set me much above my degree, and I
had very good things of all sorts; and I did not desire any other,
because I would not excite the censure of the ladies. That would be a
different thing, he was pleased to say, when he publicly owned his
nuptials, after we came to the other house. But, at present, if I was
satisfied, he would not make words with me.
I hope, Mr. Andrews, said he, to my father, you’ll not leave us till
you see the affair over, and then you’ll be sure I mean honourably:
and, besides, Pamela will be induced to set the day sooner. O, sir,
said he, I bless God I have no reason to doubt your meaning honourably:
and I hope you’ll excuse me, if I set out on Monday morning, very
early, to my dear wife, and make her as happy as I am.
Why, Pamela, says my good master, may it not be performed on Tuesday?
And then your father, maybe, will stay.—I should have been glad to have
had it to-morrow, added he; but I have sent Monsieur Colbrand for a
license, that, you may have no scruple unanswered; and he can’t very
well be back before to-morrow night, or Monday morning.
This was most agreeable news. I said, Sir, I know my dear father will
want to be at home: and as you was so good to give me a fortnight from
last Thursday, I should be glad you would be pleased to indulge me
still to some day in the second seven.
Well, said he, I will not be too urgent; but the sooner you fix, the
better. Mr. Andrews, we must leave something to these Jephthah’s
daughters, in these cases, he was pleased to say: I suppose the little
bashful folly, which, in the happiest circumstances, may give a kind of
regret to quit the maiden state, and an awkwardness at the entrance
into a new one, is a reason with Pamela; and so she shall name her day.
Sir, said he, you are all goodness.
I went up soon after, and new dressed myself, taking possession, in a
happy moment, I hope, of my two bundles, as my good master was pleased
to call them; (alluding to my former division of those good things my
lady and himself bestowed upon me;) and so put on fine linen, silk
shoes, and fine white cotton stockings, a fine quilted coat, a delicate
green Mantea silk gown and coat, a French necklace, and a laced cambric
handkerchief, and clean gloves; and, taking my fan in my hand, I, like
a little proud hussy, looked in the glass, and thought myself a
gentlewoman once more; but I forgot not to return due thanks, for being
able to put on this dress with so much comfort.
Mrs. Jewkes would help to dress me, and complimented me highly, saying,
among other things, That now I looked like a lady indeed: and as, she
said, the little chapel was ready, and divine service would be read in
it to-morrow, she wished the happy knot might then be tied. Said she,
Have you not seen the chapel, madam, since it has been cleaned out? No,
said I; but are we to have service in it to-morrow, do you say?—I am
glad of that; for I have been a sad heathen lately, sore against my
will!—But who is to officiate?—Somebody, replied she, Mr. Peters will
send. You tell me very good news, said I, Mrs. Jewkes: I hope it will
never be a lumber-room again.—Ay, said she, I can tell you more good
news; for the two Misses Darnford, and Lady Jones, are to be here at
the opening of it; and will stay and dine with you. My master, said I,
has not told me that. You must alter your style, madam, said she: It
must not be master now, sure!—O, returned I, this is a language I shall
never forget: he shall always be my master; and I shall think myself
more and more his servant.
My poor father did not know I went up to dress myself; and he said his
heart misgave him when he saw me first, for fear I was made a fool of,
and that here was some fine lady that was to be my master’s true wife.
And he stood in admiration, and said, O, my dear child, how well will
you become your happy condition! Why you look like a lady already! I
hope, my dear father, said I, and boldly kissed him, I shall always be
your dutiful daughter, whatever my condition be.
My master sent me word he was ready; and when he saw me, said, Dress as
you will, Pamela, you’re a charming girl! and so handed me to the
coach, and would make my father and me sit both on the foreside, and
sat backwards, over against me; and bid the coachman drive to the
meadow; that is, where he once met Mr. Williams.
The conversation was most agreeable to me, and to my dear father, as we
went; and he more and more exceeded in goodness and generosity; and,
while I was gone up to dress, he had presented my father with twenty
guineas; desiring him to buy himself and my mother such apparel as they
should think proper; and lay it all out: but I knew not this till after
we came home; my father having had no opportunity to tell me of it.
He was pleased to inform me of the chapel being got in tolerable order;
and said, it looked very well; and against he came down next, it should
be all new white-washed, and painted and lined; and a new pulpit-cloth,
cushion, desk, etc. and that it should always be kept in order for the
future. He told me the two Misses Darnford, and Lady Jones, would dine
with him on Sunday: And, with their servants and mine, said he, we
shall make a tolerable congregation. And, added he, have I not well
contrived to shew you that the chapel is really a little house of God,
and has been consecrated, before we solemnize our nuptials in it?—O,
sir, replied I, your goodness to me is inexpressible! Mr. Peters, said
he, offered to come and officiate in it; but would not stay to dine
with me, because he has company at his own house: and so I intend that
divine service shall be performed in it by one to whom I shall make
some yearly allowance, as a sort of chaplain.—You look serious, Pamela,
added he: I know you think of your friend Williams. Indeed, sir, said
I, if you won’t be angry, I did. Poor man! I am sorry I have been the
cause of his disobliging you.
When we came to the meadow, where the gentry have their walk sometimes,