Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded
my parents into her protection. On a Thursday, sir, you caused me to be
carried away to this place, to which I now, by God’s goodness, and your
favour, owe so amazingly all my present prospects; and on a Thursday it
was, you named to me, that fourteen days from that you would confirm my
happiness. Now, sir, if you please to indulge my superstitious folly,
you will greatly oblige me. I was sorry, sir, for this reason, when you
bid me not defer till the last day of the fourteen, that Thursday in
next week was that last day.
This, Pamela, is a little superstitious, I must needs say; and I think
you should begin now to make another day in the week a happy one; as
for example; on a Monday, may you say, my father and mother concluded
to be married on the Thursday following. On a Monday, so many years
ago, my mother was preparing all her matters to be brought to bed on
the Thursday following. On a Monday, several weeks ago, it was that you
had but two days more to stay, till you was carried away on Thursday.
On a Monday, I myself, said he, well remember, it was that I wrote you
the letter, that prevailed on you so kindly to return to me; and on the
same day you did return to my house here; which I hope, my girl, will
be as propitious an era as any you have named: And now, lastly, will
you say, which will crown the work; And, on a Monday I was
married.—Come, come, my dear, added he, Thursday has reigned long
enough o’conscience; let us now set Monday in its place, or at least on
an equality with it, since you see it has a very good title, and as we
now stand in the week before us, claims priority: And then, I hope, we
shall make Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as happy
days as Monday and Thursday; and so, by God’s blessing, move round, as
the days move, in a delightful circle, till we are at a loss what day
to prefer to the rest.
O how charmingly was this said!—And how sweetly kind!
Indeed, sir, said I, you rally my folly very agreeably; but don’t let a
little matter stand in the way, when you are so generously obliging in
a greater: Indeed I like Thursday best, if I may choose.
Well, then, said he, if you can say you have a better reason than this,
I will oblige you; else I’ll send away for the parson this moment.
And so, I protest, he was going!—Dear sirs, how I trembled! Stay, stay,
sir, said I: we have a great deal to say first; I have a deal of silly
prate to trouble you with!—Well, say then, in a minute, replied he, the
most material: for all we have to say may be talked of while the parson
is coming.—O, but indeed, and indeed, said I, it cannot be
to-day!—Well, then, shall it be to-morrow? said he.—Why, sir, if it
must not be on a Thursday, you have given so many pleasant distinctions
for a Monday, that let it then be next Monday.—What! a week still? said
he. Sir, answered I, if you please; for that will be, as you enjoined,
within the second seven days. Why, girl, said he, ’twill be seven
months till next Monday. Let it, said he, if not to-morrow, be on
Wednesday; I protest I will stay no longer.
Then, sir, returned I, please to defer it, however, for one day more,
and it will be my beloved Thursday! If I consent to defer it till then,
may I hope, my Pamela, said he, that next Thursday shall certainly be
the happy day?—Yes, sir, said I and I am sure I looked very foolishly!
And yet, my dear father and mother, why should I, with such a fine
gentleman? And whom I so dearly love? And so much to my honour too? But
there is something greatly awful upon my mind, in the solemn
circumstance, and a change of condition never to be recalled, though
all the prospects are so desirable. And I can but wonder at the
thoughtless precipitancy with which most young folks run into this
important change of life!
So now, my dear parents, have I been brought to fix so near a day as
next Thursday; and this is Monday. O dear, it makes one out of breath
almost to think of it! This, though, was a great cut off; a whole week
out of ten days. I hope I am not too forward! I’m sure, if it obliges
my dear master, I am justified; for he deserves of me all things in my
poor power.
After this, he rode out on horseback, attended by Abraham, and did not
return till night. How by degrees things steal upon one! I thought even
this small absence tedious; and the more, as we expected him home to
dinner.—I wish I may not be too fond, and make him indifferent: But
yet, my dear father and mother, you were always fond of one another,
and never indifferent, let the world run as it would.
When he returned, he said, He had had a pleasant ride, and was led out
to a greater distance than he intended. At supper he told me, that he
had a great mind Mr. Williams should marry us; because, he said, it
would shew a thorough reconciliation on his part. But, said he, most
generously, I am apprehensive, from what passed between you, that the
poor man will take it hardly, and as a sort of insult, which I am not
capable of. What says my girl?—Do you think he would? I hope not, sir,
said I: As to what he may think, I can’t answer; but as to any reason
for his thoughts, I can: For indeed, sir, said I, you have been already
so generous, that he cannot, I think, mistake your goodness.
He then spoke with some resentment of Lady Davers’s behaviour, and I
asked, if any thing new had occurred? Yes, said he; I have had a letter
delivered me from her impertinent husband, professedly at her
instigation, that amounted to little less than a piece of insolent
bravery, on supposing I was about to marry you. I was so provoked,
added he, that after I had read it, I tore it in a hundred pieces, and
scattered them in the air, and bid the man who brought it let his
master know what I had done with his letter; and so would not permit
him to speak to me, as he would fain have done,—I think the fellow
talked somewhat of his lady coming hither; but she shall not set her
foot within my doors; and I suppose this treatment will hinder her.
I was much concerned at this: And he said, Had I a hundred sisters,
Pamela, their opposition should have no weight with me: and I did not
intend you should know it; but you can’t but expect a little difficulty
from the pride of my sister, who have suffered so much from that of her
brother; and we are too nearly allied in mind, as well as blood, I
find.—But this is not her business: And if she would have made it so,
she should have done it with more decency. Little occasion had she to
boast of her birth, that knows not what belongs to good manners.
I said, I am very sorry, sir, to be the unhappy occasion of a
misunderstanding between so good a brother and so worthy a sister.
Don’t say so, Pamela, because this is an unavoidable consequence of the
happy prospect before us. Only bear it well yourself, because she is my
sister; and leave it to me to make her sensible of her own rashness.
If, sir, said I, the most lowly behaviour, and humble deportment, and
in every thing shewing a dutiful regard to good Lady Davers, will have
any weight with her ladyship, assure yourself of all in my power to
mollify her. No, Pamela, returned he; don’t imagine, when you are my
wife, I will suffer you to do any thing unworthy of that character. I
know the duty of a husband, and will protect your gentleness to the
utmost, as much as if you were a princess by descent.
You are inexpressibly good, sir, said I; but I am far from taking a
gentle disposition to shew a meanness of spirit: And this is a trial I
ought to expect; and well I may bear it, that have so many benefits to
set against it, which all spring from the same cause.
Well, said he, all the matter shall be this: We will talk of our
marriage as a thing to be done next week. I find I have spies upon me
wherever I go, and whatever I do: But now, I am on so laudable a
pursuit, that I value them not, nor those who employ them. I have
already ordered my servants to have no conference with any body for ten
or twelve days to come. And Mrs. Jewkes tells me every one names
Thursday come se’nnight for our nuptials. So I will get Mr. Peters, who
wants to see my little chapel, to assist Mr. Williams, under the notion
of breakfasting with me next Thursday morning, since you won’t have it
sooner; and there will nobody else be wanting; and I will beg of Mr.
Peters to keep it private, even from his own family, for a few days.
Has my girl any objection?
O, sir, answered I, you are so generous in all your ways, I can have no
objections!—But I hope Lady Davers and you will not proceed to
irreconcilable lengths; and when her ladyship comes to see you, and to
tarry with you, two or three weeks, as she used to do, I will keep
close up, so as not to disgust her with the sight of me.
Well, Pamela, said he, we will talk of that afterwards. You must do
then as I shall think fit: And I shall be able to judge what both you
and I ought to do. But what still aggravates the matter is, that she
should instigate the titled ape her husband to write to me, after she
had so little succeeded herself. I wish I had kept his letter, that I
might have shewn you how a man, that generally acts like a fool, can
take upon him to write like a lord. But I suppose it is of my sister’s
penning, and he, poor man! is the humble copier.
Tuesday.
Mr. Thomas is returned from you, my dear father, with the good news of
your health, and your proceeding in your journey to my dear mother,
where I hope to hear soon you are arrived. My master has just now been
making me play upon the spinnet, and sing to it; and was pleased to
commend me for both. But he does so for every thing I do, so partial
does his goodness make him to me.
One o’clock.
We are just returned from an airing in the chariot; and I have been
delighted with his conversation upon English authors, poets
particularly. He entertained me also with a description of some of the
curiosities he had seen in Italy and France, when he made what the
polite world call the grand tour. He said he wanted to be at his other
seat, for he knew not well how to employ himself here, having not
proposed to stay half the time: And when I get there, Pamela, said he,
you will hardly be troubled with so much of my company, after we have
settled; for I have a great many things to adjust: And I must go to
London; for I have accounts that have run on longer than ordinary with
my banker there. And I don’t know, added he, but the ensuing winter I
may give you a little taste of the diversions of the town for a month
or so. I said, His will and pleasure should determine mine; and I never
would, as near as I could, have a desire after those, or any other
entertainments that were not in his own choice.
He was pleased to say, I make no doubt but that I shall be very happy
in you; and hope you will be so in me: For, said he, I have no very
enormous vices to gratify; though I pretend not to the greatest purity,
neither, my girl. Sir, said I, if you can account to your own mind, I
shall always be easy in whatever you do. But our greatest happiness
here, sir, continued I, is of very short duration; and this life, at
the longest, is a poor transitory one; and I hope we shall be so happy
as to be enabled to look forward, with comfort, to another, where our
pleasures will be everlasting.
You say well, Pamela; and I shall, by degrees, be more habituated to
this way of thinking, as I more and more converse with you; but, at
present, you must not be over serious with me all at once: though I
charge you never forbear to mingle your sweet divinity in our
conversation, whenever it can be brought in a propos, and with such a
cheerfulness of temper, as shall not throw a gloomy cloud over our
innocent enjoyments.
I was abashed at this, and silent, fearing I had offended: But he said,