admired too:  but he would not make him proud; for he had superiorities enough already, that was his word, over his neighbours:  “But I can tell you,” said he, “that for most of your praises you are obliged to your lady, and for having rewarded her excellence as you have done:  for one gentleman,” added he, “said, he knew no one but you could deserve her; and he believed you did, from that tenderness in your behaviour to her, and from that grandeur of air, and majesty of person, that seemed to shew you formed for her protector, as well as rewarder.—­Get you gone to London, both of you,” said he.  “I did not intend to tell you, Mr. B., what was said of you.”  The women of the two ladies had acquainted their ladyships with the order I observed for the day, and the devout behaviour of the servants.  And about seven, I withdrawing as silently and as unobserved as I could, was surprised, as I was going through the great hall, to be joined by both.

“I shall come at all your secrets, Pamela,” said my lady, “and be able, in time, to cut you out in your own way.  I know whither you are going.”

“My good ladies,” said I, “pardon me for leaving you.  I will attend you in half an hour.”

“No, my dear,” said Lady Davers, “the countess and I have resolved to attend you for that half hour, and we will return to company together.”

“Is it not descending too much, my ladies, as to the company?”—­“If it is for us, it is for you,” said the countess; “so we will either act up to you, or make you come down to us; and we will judge of all your proceedings.”

Every one, but Abraham (who attended the gentlemen), and all their ladyships’ servants, and their two women, were there; which pleased me, however, because it shewed, that even the strangers, by this their second voluntary attendance, had no ill opinion of the service.  But they were all startled, ours and theirs, to see the ladies accompanying me.

I stept up to Mr. Adams.—­“I was in hopes.  Sir,” said I, “we should have been favoured with your company at our table.”  He bowed.—­“Well, Sir,” said I, “these ladies come to be obliged to you for your good offices; and you’ll have no better way of letting them return their obligations, than to sup, though you would not dine with them.”—­“Mr. Longman,” said my lady, “how do you do?—­We are come to be witnesses of the family decorum.”—­“We have a blessed lady, Madam,” said he:  “and your ladyship’s presence augments our joys.”

I should have said, we were not at church in the afternoon; and when I do not go, we have the evening service read to us, as it is at church; which Mr. Adams performed now, with his usual distinctness and fervour.

When all was concluded, I said, “Now, my dearest ladies, excuse me for the sake of the delight I take in seeing all my good folks about me in this decent and obliging manner.—­Indeed, I have no ostentation in it, if I know my own heart.”