I was brightened up at once with these welcome words, and I threw myself
upon my knees at his feet, with a most sincere glad heart; and I said,
May your honour be for ever blessed for your resolution! Now I shall
be happy. And permit me, on my bended knees, to thank you for all the
benefits and favours you have heaped upon me; for the opportunities I
have had of improvement and learning, through my good lady's means, and
yours. I will now forget all your honour has offered me: and I promise
you, that I will never let your name pass my lips, but with reverence
and gratitude: and so God Almighty bless your honour, for ever and ever!
Amen. Then rising from my knees, I went away with another-guise sort of
heart than I came into his presence with: and so I fell to writing this
letter. And thus all is happily over.
And now, my dearest father and mother, expect to see soon your poor
daughter, with an humble and dutiful mind, returned to you: and don't
fear but I know how to be as happy with you as ever: for I will be in
the loft, as I used to do; and pray let my little bed be got ready; and
I have a small matter of money, which will buy me a suit of clothes,
fitter for my condition than what I have; and I will get Mrs. Mumford
to help me to some needle-work: and fear not that I shall be a burden
to you, if my health continues. I know I shall be blessed, if not for
my own sake, for both your sakes, who have, in all your trials and
misfortunes, preserved so much integrity as makes every body speak
well of you both. But I hope he will let good Mrs. Jervis give me a
character, for fear it should be thought that I was turned away for
dishonesty. And so, my dear parents, may you be blest for me, and I for you! And I
will always pray for my master and Mrs. Jervis. So good night; for it is
late, and I shall be soon called to bed. I hope Mrs. Jervis is not angry with me. She has not called me to
supper: though I could eat nothing if she had. But I make no doubt I
shall sleep purely to-night, and dream that I am with you, in my dear,
dear, happy loft once more. So good night again, my dear father and mother, says
Your poor honest DAUGHTER.
Perhaps I mayn't come this week, because I must get up the linen, and
leave in order every thing belonging to my place. So send me a line, if
you can, to let me know if I shall be welcome, by John, who will call
for it as he returns. But say nothing of my coming away to him, as yet:
for it will be said I blab every thing.