Pamela by Samuel Richardson (the false prince series TXT) đ
- Author: Samuel Richardson
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Pamela, said my lady, help me to a glass of wine. No, Beck, said she, you shanât; for she was offering to do it. I will have my lady bride confer that honour upon me; and then I shall see if she can stand up. I was silent, and never stirred.
Dost hear, chastity? said she, help me to a glass of wine, when I bid thee.âWhat! not stir? Then Iâll come and help thee to one. Still I stirred not, and, fanning myself, continued silent. Said she, When I have asked thee, meek-one, half a dozen questions together, I suppose thou wilt answer them all at once! Pretty creature, is not that it?
I was so vexed, I bit a piece of my fan out, not knowing what I did; but still I said nothing, and did nothing but flutter it, and fan myself.
I believe, said she, my next question will make up half a dozen; and then, modest one, I shall be entitled to an answer.
He rose and brought the bottle and glass; Come, said he, Mrs. Bride, be pleased to help my lady, and I will be your deputy. Sir, replied I, it is in a good hand; help my lady yourself.âWhy, creature, said she, dost thou think thyself above it?âAnd then flew into a passion:âInsolence! continued she, this moment, when I bid you, know your duty, and give me a glass of wine; orâ
So I took a little spirit thenâThought I, I can but be beat.âIf, said I, to attend your ladyship at table, or even kneel at your feet, was required of me, I would most gladly do it, were I only the person you think me; but, if it be to triumph over one who has received honours, that she thinks require her to act another part, not to be utterly unworthy of them, I must say, I cannot do it.
She seemed quite surprised, and looked now upon her kinsman, and then upon her womanâIâm astonishedâquite astonished!âWell, then, I suppose you would have me conclude you my brotherâs wife; could you not?
Your ladyship, said I, compels me to say this!âWell, returned she, but dost thou thyself think thou art so?âSilence, said her kinsman, gives consent. âTis plain enough she does. Shall I rise, madam, and pay my duty to my new aunt?
Tell me, said my lady, what, in the name of impudence, possesses thee to dare to look upon thyself as my sister?âMadam, replied I, that is a question will better become your most worthy brother to answer, than me.
She was rising in great wrath: but her woman said, Good your ladyship, youâll do yourself more harm than her; and if the poor girl has been deluded so, as you have heard, with the sham marriage, sheâll be more deserving of your ladyshipâs pity than anger. True, Beck, very true, said my lady; but thereâs no bearing the impudence of the creature in the mean time.
I would have gone out at the door, but her kinsman ran and set his back against it. I expected bad treatment from her pride, and violent temper; but this was worse than I could have thought of. And I said to him, Sir, when my master comes to know your rude behaviour, you will, may be, have cause to repent it: and went and sat down in the window again.
Another challenge, by gad! said he; but I am glad she says her master!â You see, madam, she herself does not believe she is married, and so has not been so much deluded as you think for: And, coming to me with a most barbarous air of insult, he said, kneeling on one knee before me, My new aunt, your blessing or your curse, I care not which; but quickly give me one or other, that I may not lose my dinner!
I gave him a most contemptuous look: Tinselled toy, said I, (for he was laced all over), twenty or thirty years hence, when you are at age, I shall know how to answer you better; mean time, sport with your footman, and not with me! and so I removed to another window nearer the door, and he looked like a sad fool, as he is.
Beck, Beck, said my lady, this is not to be borne! Was ever the like heard! Is my kinsman and Lord Daversâs to be thus used by such a slut? And was coming to me: And indeed I began to be afraid; for I have but a poor heart, after all. But Mrs. Jewkes hearing high words, came in again, with the second course, and said, Pray your ladyship, donât so discompose yourself. I am afraid this dayâs business will make matters wider than ever between your good ladyship and your brother: For my master doats upon madam.
Woman, said she, do thou be silent! Sure, I that was born in this house, may have some privilege in it, without being talked to by the saucy servants in it!
I beg pardon, madam, replied Mrs. Jewkes; and, turning to me, said, Madam, my master will take it very ill if you make him wait for you thus. So I rose to go out; but my lady said, If it was only for that reason she shanât go.âAnd went to the door and shut it, and said to Mrs. Jewkes, Woman, donât come again till I call you; and coming to me, took my hand, and said, Find your legs, miss, if you please.
I stood up, and she tapped my cheek! Oh, says she, that scarlet glow shews what a rancorous little heart thou hast, if thou durst shew it! but come this way; and so led me to her chair: Stand there, said she, and answer me a few questions while I dine, and Iâll dismiss thee, till I call thy impudent master to account; and then Iâll have you face to face, and all this mystery of iniquity shall be unravelled; for, between you, I will come to the bottom of it.
When she had sat down, I moved to the window on the other side of the parlour, looking into the private garden; and her woman said, Mrs. Pamela, donât make my lady angry. Stand by her ladyship, as she bids you. Said I, Pray, good now, let it suffice you to attend your ladyâs commands, and donât lay yours upon me.âYour pardon, sweet Mrs. Pamela, said she. Times are much altered with you, Iâll assure you! said I, Her ladyship has a very good plea to be free in the house that she was born in; but you may as well confine your freedoms to the house in which you had your breedings. Why, how now, Mrs. Pamela, said she; since you provoke me to it, Iâll tell you a piece of my mind. Hush, hush, good woman, said I, alluding to my ladyâs language to Mrs. Jewkes, my lady wants not your assistance:âBesides, I canât scold!
The woman was ready to flutter with vexation; and Lord Jackey laughed as if he would burst his sides: Gâd dân me, Beck, said he, youâd better let her alone to my lady here for sheâll be too many for twenty such as you and I!âAnd then he laughed again, and repeatedâI canât scold, quoth-a! but, by gad, miss, you can speak dâ-d spiteful words, I can tell you that!âPoor Beck, poor Beck!ââFore gad, sheâs quite dumbfoundered!
Well, but Pamela, said my lady, come hither, and tell me truly, Dost thou think thyself really married?âSaid I, and approached her chair, My good lady, Iâll answer all your commands, if youâll have patience with me, and not be so angry as you are: But I canât bear to be used thus by this gentleman, and your ladyshipâs woman. Child, said she, thou art very impertinent to my kinsman; thou canâst not be civil to me; and my ladyshipâs woman is much thy betters. But thatâs not the thing!âDost thou think thou art really married?
I see, madam, said I, you are resolved not to be pleased with any answer I shall return: If I should say, I am not, then your ladyship will call me hard names, and, perhaps, I should tell a fib. If I should say, I am, your ladyship will ask, how I have the impudence to be so?âand will call it a sham-marriage. I will, said she, be answered more directly. Why, what, madam, does it signify what I think? Your ladyship will believe as you please.
But canâst thou have the vanity, the pride, the folly, said she, to think thyself actually married to my brother? He is no fool, child; and libertine enough of conscience; and thou art not the first in the list of his credulous harlots.âWell, well, said I, (and was in a sad flutter,) as I am easy, and pleased with my lot, pray, madam, let me continue so, as long as I can. It will be time enough for me to know the worst, when the worst comes. And if it should be so bad, your ladyship should pity me, rather than thus torment me before my time.
Well, said she, but dost not think I am concerned, that a young wench, whom my poor dear mother loved so well, should thus cast herself away, and suffer herself to be deluded and undone, after such a noble stand as thou madst for so long a time?
I think myself far from being deluded and undone, and am as innocent and virtuous as ever I was in my life. Thou liest, child, said she.
So your ladyship told me twice before.
She gave me a slap on the hand for this; and I made a low courtesy, and said, I humbly thank your ladyship! but I could not refrain tears: And added, Your dear brother, madam, however, wonât thank your ladyship for this usage of me, though I do. Come a little nearer me, my dear, said she, and thou shalt have a little more than that to tell him of, if thou thinkâst thou hast not made mischief enough already between a sister and brother. But, child, if he was here, I would serve thee worse, and him too. I wish he was, said I.âDost thou threaten me, mischief-maker, and insolent as thou art?
Now, pray, madam, said I, (but got to a little distance,) be pleased to reflect upon all that you have said to me, since I have had the honour, or rather misfortune, to come into your presence; whether you have said one thing befitting your ladyshipâs degree to me, even supposing I was the wench and the creature you imagine me to be?âCome hither, my pert dear, replied
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