Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded

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.