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.
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