What, sir, may I ask you, can that be? Your honour's noble estate may
easily make him happy, and not unuseful, perhaps to you, in some respect
or other. But what price am I to pay for all this?--Yon shall be happy
as you can wish, said he, I do assure you: And here I will now give you
this purse, in which are fifty guineas, which I will allow your father
yearly, and find an employ suitable to his liking, to deserve that and
more: Pamela, he shall never want, depend upon it. I would have given
you still more for him, but that, perhaps, you'd suspect I intended it as
a design upon you.--O sir, said I, take back your guineas! I will not
touch one, nor will my father, I am sure, till he knows what is to be
done for them; and particularly what is to become of me. Why then,
Pamela, said he, suppose I find a man of probity, and genteel calling,
for a husband for you, that shall make you a gentlewoman as long as you
live?--I want no husband, sir, said I: for now I began to see him in all
his black colours!--Yet being so much in his power, I thought I would a
little dissemble. But, said he, you are so pretty, that go where you
will, you can never be free from the designs of some or other of our sex;
and I shall think I don't answer the care of my dying mother for you, who
committed you to me, if I don't provide you a husband to protect your
virtue, and your innocence; and a worthy one I have thought of for you.
Pages:
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142