Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded - Page 156/191

Dear Mrs. Jervis, said I, you know not what I have gone through! You

know not what God has done for me! You know not what a happy creature I

am now! I have a thousand thousand things to tell you; and a whole week

will be too little, every moment of it spent in relating to you what

has befallen me, to make you acquainted with it all. We shall be sweetly

happy together, I make no doubt. But I charge you, my dear Mrs. Jervis,

whatever you call me before strangers, that when we are by ourselves you

call me nothing but your Pamela. For what an ungrateful creature should

I be, who have received so many mercies, if I attributed them not to the

divine goodness, but assumed to myself insolent airs upon them! No, I

hope I shall be, more and more thankful, as I am more and more blest!

and more humble, as God, the author of all my happiness, shall more

distinguish me.

We went down again to the parlour, to my dear master. Said he, Call

Longman in again; he longs to see you, my dear. He came in: God bless

you, my sweet lady, said he; as now, Heaven be praised, I may call you!

Did I not tell you, madam, that Providence would find you out? O, Mr.

Longman, said I, God be praised for all his mercies! I am rejoiced to

see you; and I laid my hand on his, and said, Good Mr. Longman, how

do you do?--I must always value you; and you don't know how much of my

present happiness I owe to the sheets of paper, and pens and ink, you

furnished me with. I hope my dear sir and you are quite reconciled.--O,

madam, said he, how good you are! Why, I cannot contain myself for joy!

and then he wiped his eyes; good man!

Said my master, Yes, I have been telling Longman that I am obliged to

him for his ready return to me; and that I will entirely forget his

appeal to Lady Davers; and I hope he'll find himself quite as easy and

happy as he wishes. My dear partner here, Mr. Longman, I dare promise

you, will do all she can to make you so.--Heaven bless you both

together! said he. 'Tis the pride of my heart to see this! I returned

with double delight, when I heard the blessed news; and I am sure, sir,

said he, (mark old Longman's words,) God will bless you for this every

year more and more! You don't know how many hearts you have made happy

by this generous deed!--I am glad of it, said my dear master; I am

sure I have made my own happy: and, Longman, though I must think you

SOMEBODY, yet, as you are not a young man, and so won't make me jealous,

I can allow you to wish my dear wife joy in the tenderest manner. Adad!

sir, said he, I am sure you rejoice me with your favour: 'Tis what I

longed for, but durst not presume. My dear, said my master, receive

the compliment of one of the honestest hearts in England, that always

revered your virtues!--and the good man saluted me with great respect,

and said, God in Heaven bless you both! and kneeled on one knee. I must

quit your presence! Indeed I must!--And away he went.