Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded

Where (said he to Abraham, who passed by the door), where is Mrs.

Jervis?--She bolted in: Here, good sir! said she; here, good madam! am

I, waiting impatiently, till called for, to congratulate you both.--I

ran to her, and clasped my arms about her neck, and kissed her; O my

dear Mrs. Jervis! said I, my other dear mother! receive your happy,

happy Pamela; and join with me to bless God, and bless our master, for

all these great things!--I was ready to sink in her arms through excess

of joy, to see the dear good woman, who had been so often a mournful

witness of my distress, as now of my triumph.--Dearest madam, said she,

you do me too much honour. Let my whole life shew the joy I take in your

deserved good fortune, and in my duty to you, for the early instance I

received of your goodness in your kind letter. O Mrs. Jervis! replied

I, there all thanks are due, both from you and me: for our dear master

granted me this blessing, as I may justly call it, the very first

moment I begged it of him. Your goodness, sir, said she, I will for ever

acknowledge; and I beg pardon for the wrong step I made in applying to

my Lady Davers.--He was so good as to salute her, and said, All is over

now, Mrs. Jervis; and I shall not remember you ever disobliged me. I

always respected you, and shall now more and more value you, for the

sake of that dear good creature, whom, with joy unfeigned, I can call

my wife. God bless your honour for ever! said she; and many many happy

years may ye live together, the envy and wonder of all who know you!

But where, said my dear master, is honest Longman? and where is

Jonathan?--Come, Mrs. Jervis, said I, you shall shew me them, and all

the good folks, presently; and let me go up with you to behold the dear

apartments, which I have seen before with such different emotions to

what I shall now do. We went up; and in every room, the chamber I took refuge in, when my

master pursued me, my lady's chamber, her dressing-room, Mrs. Jervis's

room, not forgetting her closet, my own little bed-chamber, the

green-room, and in each of the others, I blessed God for my past

escapes, and present happiness; and the good woman was quite affected

with the zeal and pleasure with which I made my thankful acknowledgments

to the divine goodness. O my excellent lady! said she, you are still the

same good, pious, humble soul I knew you; and your marriage has added to

your graces, as I hope it will to your blessings.