Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded - Page 54/191

'For God's sake, good sir, pity my lowly condition, and my present great

misery; and let me join with all the rest of your servants to bless that

goodness, which you have extended to every one but the poor afflicted,

heart-broken 'PAMELA.'

I thought, when I had written this letter, and that which he had

prescribed, it would look like placing a confidence in Mrs. Jewkes, to

shew them to her; and I shewed her, at the same time, my master's letter

to me; for I believed the value he expressed for me, would give me

credit with one who professed in every thing to serve him, right or

wrong; though I had so little reason, I fear, to pride myself in it: and

I was not mistaken; for it has seemed to influence her not a little, and

she is at present mighty obliging, and runs over in my praises; but

is the less to be minded, because she praises as much the author of my

miseries, and his honourable intentions, as she calls them; for I see,

that she is capable of thinking, as I fear he does, that every thing

that makes for his wicked will is honourable, though to the ruin of the

innocent. Pray God I may find it otherwise! Though, I hope, whatever

the wicked gentleman may intend, that I shall be at last rid of her

impertinent bold way of talk, when she seems to think, from his letter,

that he means honourably. I am now come to MONDAY, the 5th Day of my Bondage and Misery. I was in hope to have an opportunity to see John, and have a little

private talk with him, before he went away; but it could not be. The

poor man's excessive sorrow made Mrs. Jewkes take it into her head, to

think he loved me; and so she brought up a message to me from him this

morning that he was going. I desired he might come up to my closet, as I

called it, and she came with him. The honest man, as I thought him,

was as full of concern as before, at taking leave and I gave him two

letters, the one for Mrs. Jervis, enclosed in another for my master: but

Mrs. Jewkes would see me seal them up, lest I should enclose any thing

else.--I was surprised, at the man's going away, to see him drop a bit

of paper, just at the head of the stairs, which I took up without being

observed by Mrs. Jewkes: but I was a thousand times more surprised, when

I returned to my closet, and opening it read as follows: