“‘Ah! sister,’ said the old lady, ’there is no fear of what you hint at; his family pride, and stately temper, will secure my son:  he has too much of his father in him.  And as for Pamela, you know not the girl.  She has always in her thoughts, and in her mouth, too, her parents’ mean condition, and I shall do nothing for them, at least at present, though they are honest folks, and deserve well, because I will keep the girl humble.’

“‘But what can I do with the little baggage?’ continued my mother; ’she conquers every thing so fast, and has such a thirst after knowledge, and the more she knows, I verily think, the humbler she is, that I cannot help letting go, as my son, when a little boy, used to do to his kite, as fast as she pulls; and to what height she’ll soar, I can’t tell.

“‘I intended,’ proceeded the good lady, ’at first, only to make her mistress of some fine needle-work, to qualify her (as she has a delicacy in her person, that makes it a pity ever to put her to hard work) for a genteel place; but she masters that so fast, that now as my daughter is married and gone from me, I am desirous to qualify her to divert and entertain me in my thoughtful hours:  and were you, sister, to know what she is capable of, and how diverting her innocent prattle is to me, and her natural simplicity, which I encourage her to preserve amidst all she learns, you would not, nor my son neither, wonder at the pleasure I take in her.  Shall I call her in?’

“‘I don’t want,’ said I, ’to have the girl called in:  if you, Madam, are diverted with her, that’s enough.  To be sure, Pamela is a better companion for a lady, than a monkey or a harlequin:  but I fear you’ll set her above herself, and make her vain and pert; and that, at last, in order to support her pride, she may fall into temptations which may be fatal to herself, and others too.’

“‘I’m glad to hear this from my son,’ replied the good lady.  ’But the moment I see my favour puffs her up, I shall take other measures.’

“‘Well,’ thought I to myself, ’I only want to conceal my views from your penetrating eye, my good mother; and I shall one day take as much delight in your girl, and her accomplishments, as you now do; so go on, and improve her as fast as you will.  I’ll only now and then talk against her, to blind you; and doubt not that all you do will qualify her the better for my purpose.  Only,’ thought I, ’fly swiftly on, two or three more tardy years, and I’ll nip this bud by the time it begins to open, and place it in my bosom for a year or two at least:  for so long, if the girl behaves worthy of her education, I doubt not, she’ll be new to me.—­Excuse me, ladies;—­excuse me, Lord Davers;—­if I am not ingenuous, I had better be silent.”

I will not interrupt this affecting narration, by mentioning my own alternate blushes, confusions, and exclamations, as the naughty man went on; nor the censures, and many Out upon you’s of the attentive ladies, and Fie, brother’s, of Lord Davers; nor yet with apologies for the praises on myself, so frequently intermingled—­contenting myself to give you, as near as I can recollect, the very sentences of the dear relator.  And as to our occasional exclaimings and observations, you may suppose what they were.