“I tell thee, Pamela, that the old story of Eleanor and Rosamond run in my head all the way of my journey, and I almost wished for a potion to force down thy throat:  when I found thy lewd paramour absent, (for little did I think thou wast married to him, though I expected thou wouldst try to persuade me to believe it) fearing that his intrigue with thee would effectually frustrate my hopes as to Lady Betty and him:  ‘Now,’ thought I, ’all happens as I wish!—­Now will I confront this brazen girl!—­Now will I try her innocence, as I please, by offering to take her away with me; if she refuses, take that refusal for a demonstration of her guilt; and then,’ thought I, ’I will make the creature provoke me, in the presence of my nephew and my woman,’ (and I hoped to have got that woman Jewkes to testify for me too), and I cannot tell what I might have done, if thou hadst not escaped out of the window, especially after telling me thou wast as much married as I was, and hadst shewn me his tender letter to thee, which had a quite different effect upon me than you expected.  But if I had committed any act of violence, what remorse should I have had on reflection, and knowing what an excellence I had injured!  Thank God thou didst escape me!” And then her ladyship folded her arms about me, and kissed me.

This was a sad story, you’ll say, my dear:  and I wonder what her ladyship’s passion would have made her do!  Surely she would not have killed me dead!  Surely she would not!—­Let it not, however, Miss Darnford—­nor you, my dear parents—­when you see it—­go out of your own hands, nor be read, for my Lady Davers’s sake, to any body else—­No, not to your own mamma.  It made me tremble a little, even at this distance, to think what a sad thing passion is, when way is given to its ungovernable tumults, and how it deforms and debases the noblest minds.

We returned from this agreeable airing just in time to dress before dinner, and then my lady and I went together into the countess’s apartment, where I received abundance of compliments from both.  As this brief conversation will give you some notion of that management and economy for which they heaped upon me their kind praises, I will recite to you what passed in it, and hope you will not think me too vain; and the less, because what I underwent formerly from my lady’s indignation, half entitles me to be proud of her present kindness and favour.

Lady Davers said, “Your ladyship must excuse us, that we have lost so much of your company; but here, this sweet girl has so entertained me, that I could have staid out with her all day; and several times did I bid the coachman prolong his circuit.”—­“My good Lady Davers, Madam,” said I, “has given me inexpressible pleasure, and has been all condescension and favour, and made me as proud as proud can be.”—­“You, my dear Mrs. B.,” said she, “may have given great pleasure to Lady Davers, for it cannot be otherwise—­But I have no great notion of her ladyship’s condescension,