“Well,” said Lady Davers, “I shall always have the highest respect for Mr. Williams, for a conduct so genteel and so prudent.  But, brother, will you—­and will you, Mr. Williams—­put this whole affair into Mrs. B.’s hands, since you have such testimonies, both of you, of the rectitude of her thinking and acting?”—­“With all my heart, Madam,” replied Mr. Williams; “and I shall be proud of such a direction,”—­“What say you, brother?  You are to suppose the living in your own hands again; will you leave the whole matter to my sister here?”—­“Come, my dear,” said Mr. B., “let us hear how you’d wish it to be ordered.  I know you have not need of one moment’s consideration, when once you are mistress of a point.”

“Nay,” said Lady Davers, “that is not the thing.  I repeat my demand:  shall it be as Mrs. B. lays it out, or not?”—­“Conditionally,” said Mr. B., “provided I cannot give satisfactory reasons, why I ought not to conform to her opinion; for this, as I said, is a point of conscience with me; and I made it so, when I presented Mr. Williams to the living:  and have not been deceived in that presentation.”—­“To be sure,” said I, “that is very reasonable, Sir; and on that condition, I shall the less hesitate to speak my mind, because I shall be in no danger to commit an irreparable error.”

“I know well, Lady Davers,” added Mr. B., “the power your sex have over ours, and their subtle tricks:  and so will never, in my weakest moments, be drawn in to make a blindfold promise.  There have been several instances, both in sacred and profane story, of mischiefs done by such surprises:  so you must allow me to suspect myself, when I know the dear slut’s power over me, and have been taught, by the inviolable regard she pays to her own word, to value mine—­And now, Pamela, speak all that is in your heart to say.”  “With your requisite condition in my eye, I will, Sir.  But let me see that I state the matter right.  And, preparative to it, pray, Mr. Williams, though you have not been long in possession of this living, yet, may-be, you can compute what it is likely, by what you know of it, to bring in clear?”

“Madam,” said he, “by the best calculation I can make—­I thank you for it, good Sir—­it may, one year with another, be reckoned at three hundred pounds per annum; and is the best within twenty miles of it, having been improved within these two last years.”

“If it was five hundred pounds, and would make you happier—­(for that, Sir, is the thing) I should wish it you,” said I, “and think it short of your merits.  But pray, Sir, what is the earl’s living valued at?”

“At about two hundred and twenty pounds, Madam.”—­“Well, then,” replied I, very pertly, “I believe now I have it.