“Well, Sir, all this only proves, that the intelligence may be a little premature.  But now let me, Sir, sit down one minute, to recover my failing spirits, and then I’ll tell you all I purpose to do, and all I have to say, and that with as much brevity as I can, for fear neither my head nor my heart should perform the part I have been so long in endeavouring to prevail upon them to perform.”

I sat down then, he taking out the letter, and reading it again with much vexation and anger in his countenance; and after a few tears and sobs, that would needs be so officious as to offer their service, unbidden, and undesired, to introduce what I had to say; I rose up, my feet trembling, as well as my knees; which, however, leaning against the seats of the chairs, that made my bar, as my hand held by the back, tolerably supported me, I cleared my voice, wiped my eyes, and said: 

“You have all the excuse, dear Mr. B., that a gentleman can have in the object of your present passion.”

“Present passion, Pamela!”

“Dear Sir, hear me without interruption.

“The Countess is a charming lady.  She excels your poor girl in all those outward graces of form, which your kind fancy (more valued by me than the opinion of all the world besides) had made you attribute to me.  And she has all those additional advantages, as nobleness of birth, of alliance, and deportment, which I want. (Happy for you, Sir, that you had known her ladyship some months ago, before you disgraced yourself by the honours you have done me!) This therefore frees you from the aggravated crime of those, who prefer, to their own ladies, less amiable and less deserving persons; and I have not the sting which those must have, who are contemned and ill-treated for the sake of their inferiors.  Yet cannot the Countess love you better than your girl loves you, not even for your person, which must, I doubt, be her principal attachment! when I can truly say, all noble and attracting to the outward eye as it is, that is the least consideration by far with me:  no, Sir, your generous and beneficent mind, is the principal object of my affection; and my pride in hoping to be an humble means, in the hands of Providence, to bless you hereafter as well as here, gave me more pleasure than all the blessings I reaped from your name or your fortune.  Judge then, my dearest Mr. B., my grief and disappointment.

“But I will not expostulate:  I will not, because it must be to no purpose; for could my fondness, and my watchful duty to you, have kept you steady, I should not now appear before you in this solemn manner:  and I know the charms of my rival are too powerful for me to contend with.  Nothing but divine grace can touch your heart:  and that I expect not, from the nature of the case, should be instantaneous.

“I will therefore.  Sir, dear as you are to me—­(Don’t look with such tender surprise upon me!) give up your person to the happier, to my worthier rival.  For since such is your will, and seem to be your engagements, what avails it to me to oppose them?