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.