ing
Abraham not wait. I could not eat, and yet I tried, for fear he should
be angry. He kindly forbore to hint any thing of the dreadful, yet
delightful to-morrow! and put, now and then, a little bit on my plate,
and guided it to my mouth. I was concerned to receive his goodness with
so ill a grace. Well, said he, if you won't eat with me, drink at least
with me: I drank two glasses by his over-persuasions, and said, I am
really ashamed of myself. Why, indeed, said he, my dear girl, I am not
a very dreadful enemy, I hope! I cannot bear any thing that is the least
concerning to you. Oh, sir! said I, all is owing to the sense I have of
my own unworthiness!--To be sure, it cannot be any thing else.

He rung for the things to be taken away; and then reached a chair,
and sat down by me, and put his kind arms about me, and said the most
generous and affecting things that ever dropt from the honey-flowing
mouth of love. All I have not time to repeat: some I will. And oh!
indulge your foolish daughter, who troubles you with her weak nonsense;
because what she has to say, is so affecting to her; and because, if she
went to bed, instead of scribbling, she could not sleep.

This sweet confusion and thoughtfulness in my beloved Pamela, said
the kind man, on the near approach of our happy union, when I hope all
doubts are cleared up, and nothing of dishonour is apprehended, shew me
most abundantly, what a wretch I was to attempt such purity with a worse
intention--No wonder, that one so virtuous should find herself deserted
of life itself on a violence so dreadful to her honour, and seek a
refuge in the shadow of death.--But now, my dearest Pamela, that you
have seen a purity on my side, as nearly imitating your own, as our sex
can shew to yours; and since I have, all the day long, suppressed even
the least intimation of the coming days, that I might not alarm your
tender mind; why all this concern, why all this affecting, yet sweet
confusion? You have a generous friend, my dear girl, in me; a protector
now, not a violator of your innocence: Why then, once more I ask, this
strange perplexity, this sweet confusion?

O sir, said I, and hid my face on his arm; expect not reason from a
foolish creature: You should have still indulged me in my closet: I am
ready to beat myself for this ungrateful return to your goodness. But
I know not what!--I am, to be sure, a silly creature! O had you but
suffered me to stay by myself above, I shoul