I saw her eyes began to sparkle with passion: and she took my hand,
and said, grasping it very hard, I know, confident creature, that thou
shewedst it me to insult me!--You shewed it me, to let me see, that
he could be civiller to a beggar born, than to me, or to my good Lord
Davers!--You shewed it me, as if you'd have me to be as credulous a fool
as yourself, to believe your marriage true, when I know the whole trick
of it, and have reason to believe you do too; and you shewed it me, to
upbraid me with his stooping to such painted dirt, to the disgrace of a
family, ancient and untainted beyond most in the kingdom. And now will I
give thee one hundred guineas for one bold word, that I may fell thee at
my foot! Was not this very dreadful! To be sure, I had better have kept the
letter from her. I was quite frightened!--And this fearful menace,
and her fiery eyes, and rageful countenance, made me lose all my
courage.--So I said, weeping, Good your ladyship, pity me!--Indeed I am
honest; indeed I am virtuous; indeed I would not do a bad thing for the
world! Though I know, said she, the whole trick of thy pretended marriage, and
thy foolish ring here, and all the rest of the wicked nonsense, yet I
should not have patience with thee, if thou shouldst but offer to let
me know thy vanity prompts thee to believe thou art married to my
brother!--I could not bear the thought!--So take care, Pamela; take
care, beggarly brat; take care.
Good madam, said I, spare my dear parents. They are honest and
industrious: they were once in a very creditable way, and never were
beggars. Misfortunes may attend any body: And I can bear the cruellest
imputations on myself, because I know my innocence; but upon such
honest, industrious parents, who went through the greatest trials,
without being beholden to any thing but God's blessing, and their own
hard labour; I cannot bear reflection.
What! art thou setting up for a family, creature as thou art! God give
me patience with thee! I suppose my brother's folly, and his wickedness,
together, will, in a little while, occasion a search at the heralds'
office, to set out thy wretched obscurity! Provoke me, I desire thou
wilt! One hundred guineas will I give thee, to say but thou thinkest
thou art married to my brother. Your ladyship, I hope, won't kill me:
And since nothing I can say will
please you, but your ladyship is resolved to quarrel with me; since
I must not say what I think, on one hand nor another; whatever your
ladyship designs by me, be pleased to do, and let me depart your
presence! She gave me a slap on the hand, and reached to box my ear; but Mrs.
Jewkes hearkening without, and her woman too, they both came in at
that instant; and Mrs. Jewkes said, pushing herself in between us; Your
ladyship knows not what you do! Indeed you don't! My master would never
forgive me, if I suffered, in his house, one he so dearly loves, to be
so used; and it must not be, though you are Lady Davers. Her woman too
interposed, and told her, I was not worth her ladyship's anger. But she
was like a person beside herself.