Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded
humour; but when I came to reflect, as I said, I was quite overcome
with this instance of her prudence, her penitence, and her resolution;
and more admired her than I ever had done. Yet I could not bear she
should so escape me neither; so much overcome me, as it were, in an
heroical bravery; and I hastened away, and got a bill of credit of Lord
Davers, upon his banker in London, for five hundred pounds; and set out
for that place, having called at Oxford, and got what light I could, as
to where I might hear of her there.
When I arrived in town, which was not till Monday morning, I went to a
place called Crosby-square, where the friends of the two ladies lived.
She had set out in the flying-coach on Tuesday; got to the two ladies
that very night; and, on Saturday, had set out with them for Gravesend,
much about the time I was expecting her at Woodstock.
You may suppose that I was much affected, my dear, with this. However,
I got my bill of credit converted into money; and I set out with my
servant on Monday afternoon, and reached Gravesend that night; and
there I understood that she and the two ladies had gone on board from
the very inn I put up at, in the morning; and the ship waited only for
the wind, which then was turning about in its favour.
I got a boat directly, and went on board the ship, and asked for Mrs.
Godfrey. But judge you, my dear Pamela, her surprise and confusion,
when she saw me! She had like to have fainted away. I offered any money
to put off the sailing till next day, but it would not be complied
with; and fain would I have got her on shore, and promised to attend
her, if she would go over land, to any part of England the ship would
touch at. But she was immovable.
Every one concluded me her humble servant, and were touched at the
moving interview; the young ladies, and their female attendants,
especially. With great difficulty, upon my solemn assurances of honour,
she trusted herself with me in one of the cabins; and there I tried,
what I could, to prevail upon her to quit her purpose; but all in vain:
She said, I had made her quite unhappy by this interview! She had
difficulties enough upon her mind before; but now I had embittered all
her voyage, and given her the deepest distress.
I could prevail upon her but for one favour, and that with the greatest
reluctance; which was, to accept of the five hundred pounds, as a
present from me; and she promised, at my earnest desire, to draw upon
me for a greater sum, as a person that had her effects in my hands,
when she arrived, if she should find it convenient for her. In short,
this was all the favour I could procure; for she would not promise so
much as to correspond with me, and was determined on going: and, I
believe, if I would have married her, which yet I had not in my head,
she would not have deviated from her purpose.
But how, sir, said I, did you part? I would have sailed with her,
answered he, and been landed at the first port in England or Ireland, I
cared not which, they should put in at; but she was too full of
apprehensions to admit it; And the rough fellow of a master, captain
they called him, (but, in my mind, I could have thrown him overboard,)
would not stay a moment, the wind and tide being quite fair; and was
very urgent with me to go a-shore, or to go the voyage; and being
impetuous in my temper, (spoiled, you know, my dear, by my mother,) and
not used to control, I thought it very strange that wind or tide, or
any thing else, should be preferred to me and my money: But so it was;
I was forced to go; and so took leave of the ladies, and the other
passengers; wished them a good voyage; gave five guineas among the
ship’s crew, to be good to the ladies, and took such a leave as you may
better imagine than I express. She recommended once more to me, the
dear guest, as she called her, the ladies being present; and thanked me
for all these instances of my regard, which, she said, would leave a
strong impression on her mind; and, at parting, she threw her arms
about my neck, and we took such a leave, as affected every one present,
men, as well as ladies.
So, with a truly heavy heart, I went down the ship’s side to my boat;
and stood up in it, looking at her, as long as I could see her, and she
at me, with her handkerchief at her eyes; and then I gazed at the ship,
till, and after I had landed, as long as I could discern the least
appearance of it; for she was under sail, in a manner, when I left her;
and so I returned highly disturbed to my inn.
I went to bed, but rested not; returned to London the next morning; and
set out that afternoon again for the country. And so much, my dear, for
poor Sally Godfrey.—She sends, I understand, by all opportunities, with
the knowledge of her husband, to learn how her child, by her first
husband, does; and has the satisfaction to know she is happily provided
for. And, about half a year ago, her spouse sent a little negro boy, of
about ten years old, as a present, to wait upon her. But he was taken
ill of the small-pox, and died in a month after he was landed.
Sure, sir, said I, your generous mind must have been long affected with
this melancholy case, and all its circumstances.
It hung upon me, indeed, some time, said he; but I was full of spirit
and inconsideration. I went soon after to travel; a hundred new objects
danced before my eyes, and kept reflection from me. And, you see, I had
five or six years afterwards, and even before that, so thoroughly lost
all the impressions you talk of, that I doubted not to make my Pamela
change her name, without either act of parliament, or wedlock, and be
Sally Godfrey the second.
O you dear naughty man! said I, this seems but too true! but I bless
God that it is not so!—I bless God for your reformation, and that for
your own dear sake, as well as mine!
Well, my dear, said he, and I bless God for it too!—I do most
sincerely!—And ’tis my greater pleasure, because I have, as I hoped,
seen my error so early; and that with such a stock of youth and health
on my side, in all appearance, I can truly abhor my past liberties, and
pity poor Sally Godfrey, from the same motives that I admire my
Pamela’s virtues; and resolve to make myself as worthy of them as
possible: And I will hope, my dear, your prayers for my pardon, and my
perseverance, will be of no small efficacy on this occasion.
These agreeable reflections, on this melancholy but instructive story,
brought us in view of his own house; and we alighted, and took a walk
in the garden till dinner was ready. And now we are so busy about
making ready for our appearance, that I shall hardly have time to write
till that be over.
Monday morning.
Yesterday we set out, attended by John, Abraham, Benjamin, and Isaac,
in fine new liveries, in the best chariot, which had been new cleaned,
and lined, and new harnessed; so that it looked like a quite new one.
But I had no arms to quarter with my dear lord and master’s; though he
jocularly, upon my taking notice of my obscurity, said, that he had a
good mind to have the olive-branch, which would allude to his hopes,
quartered for mine. I was dressed in the suit I mentioned, of white
flowered with silver, and a rich head-dress, and the diamond necklace,
ear-rings, etc. I also mentioned before: And my dear sir, in a fine
laced silk waistcoat, of blue paduasoy, and his coat a pearl-coloured
fine cloth, with gold buttons and button-holes, and lined with white
silk; and he looked charmingly indeed. I said, I was too fine, and
would have laid aside some of the jewels; but he said, It would be
thought a slight to me from him, as his wife; and though as I
apprehended, it might be, that people would talk as it was, yet he had
rather they should say any thing, than that I was not put upon an equal
footing, as his wife, with any lady he might have married.
It seems the neighbouring gentry had expected us; and there was a great
congregation; for (against my wish) we were a little of the latest; so
that, as we walked up the church to his seat, we had abundance of
gazers and whisperers: But my dear master behaved with so intrepid an
air, and was so cheerful and complaisant to me, that he did credit to
his kind choice, instead of shewing as if he was ashamed of it: And as
I was resolved to busy my mind entirely with the duties of the day, my
intentness on that occasion, and my thankfulness to God, for his
unspeakable mercies to me, so took up my thoughts, that I was much less
concerned, than I should otherwise have been, at the gazings and
whisperings of the ladies and gentlemen, as well as of the rest of the
congregation, whose eyes were all turned to our seat.
When the sermon was ended, we staid the longer, because the church
should be pretty empty; but we found great numbers at the church-doors,
and in the church-porch; and I had the pleasure of hearing many
commendations, as well of my person, as my dress and behaviour, and not
one reflection, or mark of disrespect. Mr. Martin, who is single, Mr.
Chambers, Mr. Arthur, and Mr. Brooks, with their families, were all
there: And the four gentlemen came up to us, before we went into the
chariot, and, in a very kind and respectful manner, complimented us
both: and Mrs. Arthur and Mrs. Brooks were so kind as to wish me joy;
and Mrs. Brooks said, You sent Mr. Brooks, madam, home t’other day,
quite charmed with a manner, which, you have convinced a thousand
persons this day, is natural to you.
You do me great honour, madam, replied I. Such a good lady’s
approbation must make me too sensible of my happiness. My dear master
handed me into the chariot, and stood talking with Sir Thomas Atkyns,
at the door of it, (who was making him abundance of compliments, and is
a very ceremonious gentleman, a little too extreme in that way,) and, I
believe, to familiarize me to the gazers, which concerned me a little;
for I was dashed to hear the praises of the countrypeople, and to see
how they crowded about the chariot. Several poor people begged my
charity, and I beckoned John with my fan, and said, Divide in the
further church-porch, that money to the poor, and let them come
to-morrow morning to me, and I will give them something more, if they
don’t importune me now. So I gave him all the silver I had, which
happened to be between twenty and thirty shillings; and this drew away
from me their clamorous prayers for charity.
Mr. Martin came up to me on the other side of the chariot, and leaned
on the very door, while my master was talking to Sir Thomas, from whom
he could not get away; and said, By all that’s good, you have charmed
the whole congregation! Not a soul but is full of your praises! My
neighbour knew, better than any body could tell him, how to choose for
himself. Why, said he, the dean himself looked more upon you than his
book.
O sir, said I, you are very encouraging to a weak mind! I vow, said he,
I say no more than is truth: I’d marry to-morrow, if I was sure of
meeting with a person of but one-half the merit you have. You are,
continued he, and ’tis not my way to praise too much, an ornament to
your sex, an honour to your spouse, and a credit to religion.—Every
body is saying so, added he; for you have, by your piety, edified the
whole church.
As he had done speaking, the dean himself complimented me, that the
behaviour of so worthy a lady, would be very edifying to his
congregation, and encouraging to himself. Sir, said I, you are very
kind: I hope I shall not behave unworthy of the good instructions I
shall have the pleasure to receive from so worthy a divine. He bowed,
and went on.
Sir Thomas then applied to me, my master stepping into the chariot, and
said, I beg pardon, madam, for detaining your good spouse from you: but