; for I love you and all the house, and value him, if
he would act as my master). Well then, as I know his designs, and that
he owns he cannot help it; must I have asked to stay, knowing he would
attempt me again? for all you could assure me of, was, he would do
nothing by force; so I, a poor weak girl, was to be left to my own
strength! And was not this to allow him to tempt me, as one may say? and
to encourage him to go on in his wicked devices?--How then, Mrs. Jervis,
could I ask or wish to stay?

You say well, my dear child, says she; and you have a justness of
thought above your years; and for all these considerations, and for what
I have heard this day, after you ran away, (and I am glad you went as
you did,) I cannot persuade you to stay; and I shall be glad, (which
is what I never thought I could have said,) that you were well at your
father's; for if Lady Davers will entertain you, she may as well have
you from thence as here. There's my good Mrs. Jervis! said I; God will
bless you for your good counsel to a poor maiden, that is hard beset.
But pray what did he say, when I was gone? Why, says she, he was very
angry with you. But he would hear it! said I: I think it was a little
bold; but then he provoked me to it. And had not my honesty been in the
case, I would not by any means have been so saucy. Besides, Mrs.
Jervis, consider it was the truth; if he does not love to hear of the
summer-house, and the dressing-room, why should he not be ashamed to
continue in the same mind? But, said she, when you had muttered this to
yourself, you might have told him any thing else. Well, said I, I cannot
tell a wilful lie, and so there's an end of it. But I find you now give
him up, and think there's danger in staying.--Lord bless me! I wish I
was well out of the house; so it was at the bottom of a wet ditch, on
the wildest common in England.

Why, said she, it signifies nothing to tell you all he said but it was
enough to make me fear you would not be so safe as I could wish;
and, upon my word, Pamela, I don't wonder he loves you; for, without
flattery, you are a charming girl! and I never saw you look more lovely
in your life than in that same new dress of yours. And then it was such
a surprise upon us all!--I believe truly, you owe some of your danger to
the lovely appearance you made. Then, said I, I wish the clothes in the
fire: I expected no effect from them; but, if any, a quite contrary one.

Hush! said I, Mrs. Jer