eeing me too much oppressed with
confusion to go on in that strain, said, Well, Pamela, let me know in
what situation of life is your father: I know he is a poor man; but is
he as low and as honest as he was when my mother took you?

Then I could speak a little; and with a down look, (and I felt my face
glow like fire,) I said, Yes, sir, as poor and as honest too; and that
is my pride. Says he, I will do something for him, if it be not your
fault, and make all your family happy. All, sir, said I, he is happier
already than ever he can be, if his daughter's innocence is to be the
price of your favour: and I beg you will not speak to me on the only
side that can wound me. I have no design of that sort, said he. O sir,
said I, tell me not so, tell me not so!--'Tis easy, said he, for me to
be the making of your father, without injuring you. Well, sir, said I,
if this can be done, let me know how; and all I can do with innocence
shall be the study and practice of my life.--But, O! what can such a
poor creature as I do, and do my duty?--Said he, I would have you stay a
week or fortnight only, and behave yourself with kindness to me; I
stoop to beg it of you, and you shall see all shall turn out beyond your
expectation. I see, said he, you are going to answer otherwise than I
would have you; and I begin to be vexed I should thus meanly sue; and so
I will say, that your behaviour before honest Longman, when I used you
as I did, and you could so well have vindicated yourself, has quite
charmed me. And though I am not pleased with all you said yesterday,
while I was in the closet, yet you have moved me more to admire you than
before; and I am awakened to see more worthiness in you, than ever I
saw in any lady in the world. All the servants, from the highest to the
lowest, doat upon you, instead of envying you; and look upon you in so
superior a light, as speaks what you ought to be. I have seen more
of your letters than you imagine, (This surprised me!) and am quite
overcome with your charming manner of writing, so free, so easy, and
many of your sentiments so much above your years, and your sex; and all
put together, makes me, as I tell you, love you to extravagance. Now,
Pamela, when I have stooped to acknowledge all this, oblige me only
to stay another week or fortnight, to give me time to bring about some
certain affairs, and you shall see how much you may find your account in
it.

I trembled to find my poor heart giving way