Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded

Well, at last he rung the bell: O, thought I, that it was my

passing-bell! Mrs. Jervis went up, with a full heart enough, poor good

woman! He said, Where's Pamela? Let her come up, and do you come with

her. She came to me: I was ready to go with my feet; but my heart

was with my dear father and mother, wishing to share your poverty and

happiness. I went up, however.

O how can wicked men seem so steady and untouched with such black

hearts, while poor innocents stand like malefactors before them!

He looked so stern, that my heart failed me, and I wished myself any

where but there, though I had before been summoning up all my courage.

Good Heaven, said I to myself, give me courage to stand before this

naughty master! O soften him, or harden me!

Come in, fool, said he, angrily, as soon as he saw me; (and snatched my

hand with a pull;) you may well be ashamed to see me, after your noise

and nonsense, and exposing me as you have done. I ashamed to see you!

thought I: Very pretty indeed!--But I said nothing.

Mrs. Jervis, said he, here you are both together. Do you sit down; but

let her stand, if she will. Ay, thought I, if I can; for my knees beat

one against the other. Did you not think, when you saw the girl in the

way you found her in, that I had given her the greatest occasion for

complaint, that could possibly be given to a woman? And that I had

actually ruined her, as she calls it? Tell me, could you think any thing

less? Indeed, said she, I feared so at first. Has she told you what I

did to her, and all I did to her, to occasion all this folly, by which

my reputation might have suffered in your opinion, and in that of all

the family.--Inform me, what she has told you?

She was a little too much frightened, as she owned afterwards, at his

sternness, and said, Indeed she told me you only pulled her on your

knee, and kissed her. Then I plucked up my spirits a little. Only! Mrs. Jervis? said I; and

was not that enough to shew me what I had to fear? When a master of his

honour's degree demeans himself to be so free as that to such a poor

servant as me, what is the next to be expected?--But your honour went

farther, so you did; and threatened me what you would do, and talked of

Lucretia, and her hard fate.--Your honour knows you went too far for a

master to a servant, or even to his equal; and I cannot bear it. So I

fell a crying most sadly.