Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded

And so you may pay some old debt with part, and keep the

other part to comfort you both. If I get more, I am sure it is my duty,

and it shall be my care, to love and cherish you both; for you have

loved and cherished me, when I could do nothing for myself. I send them

by John, our footman, who goes your way: but he does not know what he

carries; because I seal them up in one of the little pill-boxes, which

my lady had, wrapt close in paper, that they mayn't chink; and be sure

don't open it before him.

I know, dear father and mother, I must give you both grief and pleasure;

and so I will only say, Pray for your Pamela; who will ever be

Your most dutiful DAUGHTER.

I have been scared out of my senses; for just now, as I was folding up

this letter in my late lady's dressing-room, in comes my young master!

Good sirs! how was I frightened! I went to hide the letter in my bosom;

and he, seeing me tremble, said, smiling, To whom have you been writing,

Pamela?--I said, in my confusion, Pray your honour forgive me!--Only to

my father and mother. He said, Well then, let me see how you are come on

in your writing! O how ashamed I was!--He took it, without saying more,

and read it quite through, and then gave it me again;--and I said, Pray

your honour forgive me!--Yet I know not for what: for he was always

dutiful to his parents; and why should he be angry that I was so to

mine? And indeed he was not angry; for he took me by the hand, and said,

You are a good girl, Pamela, to be kind to your aged father and mother.

I am not angry with you for writing such innocent matters as these:

though you ought to be wary what tales you send out of a family.--Be

faithful and diligent; and do as you should do, and I like you the

better for this. And then he said, Why, Pamela, you write a very pretty

hand, and spell tolerably too. I see my good mother's care in your

learning has not been thrown away upon you. She used to say you loved

reading; you may look into any of her books, to improve yourself, so you

take care of them. To be sure I did nothing but courtesy and cry,

and was all in confusion, at his goodness. Indeed he is the best of

gentlemen, I think! But I am making another long letter: So will only

add to it, that I shall ever be Your dutiful daughter, PAMELA ANDREWS.