Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded

'I hope, sir, by your favour, I could send a little packet, now and

then, some how, to my poor father and mother. I have a little stock of

money, about five or six guineas: Shall I put half in your hands, to

defray the charge of a man and horse, or any other incidents?' I had but just time to transcribe this, before I was called to dinner;

and I put that for Mr. Williams, with a wafer in it, in my bosom, to get

an opportunity to lay it in the dear place. O good sirs, of all the flowers in the garden, the sunflower, sure,

is the loveliest!--It is a propitious one to me! How nobly my plot

succeeds! But I begin to be afraid my writings may be discovered; for

they grow large: I stitch them hitherto in my under-coat, next my linen.

But if this brute should search me--I must try to please her, and then

she won't. Well, I am but just come off from a walk in the garden, and have

deposited my letter by a simple wile. I got some horse-beans; and we

took a turn in the garden, to angle, as Mrs. Jewkes had promised me. She

baited the hook, and I held it, and soon hooked a lovely carp. Play it,

play it, said she: I did, and brought it to the bank. A sad thought just

then came into my head; and I took it, and threw it in again; and O the

pleasure it seemed to have, to flounce in, when at liberty!--Why this?

says she. O Mrs. Jewkes! said I, I was thinking this poor carp was the

unhappy Pamela. I was likening you and myself to my naughty master. As

we hooked and deceived the poor carp, so was I betrayed by false baits;

and when you said, Play it, play it, it went to my heart, to think I

should sport with the destruction of the poor fish I had betrayed; and I

could not but fling it in again: and did you not see the joy with which

the happy carp flounced from us? O! said I, may some good merciful body

procure me my liberty in the same manner; for to be sure, I think my

danger equal! Lord bless thee! said she, what a thought is there!--Well, I can angle

no more, added I. I'll try my fortune, said she, and took the rod. Do,

answered I; and I will plant life, if I can, while you are destroying

it. I have some horse-beans here, and will go and stick them in one of

the borders, to see how long they will be coming up; and I will call

them my garden. So you see, dear father and mother, (I hope now you will soon see; for,

may be, if I can't get away so soon myself, I may send my papers some

how; I say you will see,) that this furnishes me with a good excuse to

look after my garden another time; and if the mould should look a little

freshish, it won't be so much suspected. She mistrusted nothing of this;

and I went and stuck in here and there my beans, for about the length

of five ells, of each side of the sunflower; and easily deposited my

letter. And not a little proud am I of this contrivance. Sure something

will do at last! Friday, Saturday. I have just now told you a trick of mine; now I'll tell you a trick

of this wicked woman's. She comes up to me: Says she, I have a bill

I cannot change till to-morrow; and a tradesman wants his money most

sadly: and I don't love to turn poor trades-folks away without their

money: Have you any about you? I have a little, replied I: How much will

do? Oh! said she, I want eight pounds. Alack! said I, I have but between

five and six. Lend me that, said she, till to-morrow. I did so; and she

went down stairs: and when she came up, she laughed, and said, Well,

I have paid the tradesman. Said I, I hope you'll give it me again

to-morrow. At that, the assurance, laughing loud, said, Why, what

occasion have you for money? To tell you the truth, lambkin, I didn't

want it. I only feared you might make a bad use of it; and now I can

trust Nan with you a little oftener, especially as I have got the key

of your portmanteau; so that you can neither corrupt her with money,

nor fine things. Never did any body look more silly than I.--O how I

fretted, to be so foolishly outwitted!--And the more, as I had hinted to

Mr. Williams, that I would put some in his hands to defray the charges

of my sending to you. I cried for vexation.--And now I have not five

shillings left to support me, if I can get away.--Was ever such a fool

as I! I must be priding myself in my contrivances, indeed! said I. Was

this your instructions, wolfkin? (for she called me lambkin). Jezebel,

you mean, child! said she.--Well, I now forgive you heartily; let's buss

and be friends.--Out upon you said I; I cannot bear you!--But I durst

not call her names again; for I dread her huge paw most sadly. The more

I think of this thing, the more do I regret it, and blame myself. This night the man from the post-house brought a letter for Mrs. Jewkes,

in which was one enclosed for me: She brought it me up. Said she, Well,

my good master don't forget us. He has sent you a letter: and see what

he writes to me. So she read, That he hoped her fair charge was well,

happy, and contented. Ay, to be sure, said I, I can't choose--That he

did not doubt her care and kindness to me: that I was very dear to him,

and she could not use me too well; and the like. There's a master for

you! said she: sure you will love and pray for him. I desired her to

read the rest. No, no, said she, but I won't. Said I, Are there any

orders for taking my shoes away, and for beating me? No, said she, nor

about Jezebel neither. Well, returned I, I cry truce; for I have no mind

to be beat again. I thought, said she, we had forgiven one another. My letter is as follows: