Mrs. Jewkes was very watchful of all her ways, and took the tuft, and looked upon it, lest any thing should be in that. And then the woman said, Here is the line of Jupiter, crossing the line of life; and Mars-Odd! my pretty mistress, said she, ' you had best take care of yourself: før you are hard beset, I'll assure you. You will never be married, I can see; and will die of your first child.'-' Out upon thee, woman!' said I, better thou hadst

never come here.'

Said Mrs. Jewkes, whispering, "I don't like this: it looks like a cheat: pray, Mrs. Pamela, go in this moment.' So I will,' said I; for I have enough of fortune-telling.' And in I

went.

The woman wanted sadly to tell me more, which made Mrs. Jewkes threaten her, suspecting still the more and away the woman went, having told Nan her fortune that she would be drowned.

This thing ran strongly in all our heads; and we went, an hour after, to see if the woman was lurking about, and took Mr. Colbrand for our guard. Looking through the iron gate, we saw a man sauntering about the middle of the walk, which filled Mrs. Jewkes with still more suspicions; and she said, Mr. Colbrand, you and I will walk towards this fellow, and, see what he saunters there for; and Nan, do you and Madam stay at the gate.'

So, opening the iron gate, they walked down towards the man; and, guessing the woman, if employed, must mean something by the tuft of grass, I cast my eye that way, where she pulled it, and saw more grass seemingly pulled up: then I doubted not something was there for me; so I walked to it, and standing over it, said to Nan, That's a pretty sort of wild flower, which grows yonder, near the elm, the fifth from us on the left; pray pull it for me.' Said she, 'It is a common weed.'-' Well,' said I, but pull it for me; there are sometimes beautiful colours in a weed.'

While she went on, I stooped, and pulled up a good handful of the grass, and in it a bit of paper, which I put instantly in my bosom, and dropped the grass; and my heart went pit-a-pat at the odd adventure. Said I, 'Let's go in, Mrs. Anne,-No,' said she; we must stay till Mrs. Jewkes comes.'

6

I was all impatience to read this paper: and when Colbrand and she re

turned, I went in. Said she, Certainly there is some reason for my master's caution: I can make nothing of this sauntering fellow; but, to be sure, thera was some roguery in the gypsey."Well,' said I, if there was, she lost her aim, you see.'-' Aye, very true,' said she; but that was owing to my watchfulness; and you was very good to go away when I spoke to you.'

I hasted up stairs to my closet, and found the billet to contain, in a hand that seemed disguised, and bad spelling, the following words.

TWENTY contrivances have been thought of to let you know your dan ger; but all have proved in vain. Your friends hope it is not yet too late to give you this caution, if it reaches your bands. The squire is absolutely deter mined to ruin you; and because he despairs of any other way, he will pretend great love and kindness to you, and that he will marry you. You may expect a parson, for this purpose, in a few days; but it is a sly artful fellow of a broken attorney, that he has hired to personate a minister. The man has a broad face, pitted much with the small-pox, and is a very good companion. So take care of yourself. Doubt not this advice. Perhaps you'll have had but too much reason already to confirm you in the truth of it. From your zealous wellwisher, 'SOMEBODY.'

Now, my dear father and mother, what shall we say of this truly diaboli cal master! O how shall I find words to paint my grief, and his deceit ! I have as good as confessed I love him; but, indeed, it was on supposing him good. This, however, has given him too much advantage. But now I will break this wicked forward heart of mine, if it will not be taught to hate him! O what a black dismal heart must he have! So here is a plot to ruin me, and by my own consent too!-No won der he did not improve his wicked op portunities, (which I thought owing to remorse for his sin, and compassion for me) when he had such a project as this in reserve!-Here should I have been deluded with the hopes of a happiness that my highest ambition could have aspired to!-But how dreadful must have been my lot, when I had found myself an undone creature, and a guilty harlot, instead of a lawful wife? Oht this is indeed too much for your poor Pamela to support! I hoped all the worst

was over; and that I had the pleasure of beholding a reclaimed man, and not an abandoned libertine. What must your poor daughter do? All her hopes now are dashed! And if this fails him, then comes my forced disgrace! for this shews he will never leave till he has ruined me!-O the wretched, wretched Pamela !

SATURDAY NOON, ONE O'CLOCK.

MY master is come home, and, to be sure, has been where he said. So once he has told truth; and this matter seems to be gone off without a plot: no doubt be depends upon his sham wicked marriage! He has brought a gentleman with him to dinner; and so I have not seen him yet.

TWO O'CLOCK.

, I AM very sorrowful, and still have greater reason; for just now, as I was in my closet, opening the parcel I had hid under the rose-bush, to see if it was damaged by lying so long, Mrs. Jewkes came upon me by surprise, and laid her hands upon it; for she had been looking through the key-hole, it seems.

I know not what I shall do! For now he will see all my private thoughts of him, and all my secrets, as I may say! What a careless creature I am!-To be sure I deserve to be punished.

You know I had the good luck, by Mr. Williams's means, to send you all my papers, down to Sunday night, the 17th day of my imprisonment. But now these papers contain all my matters from that time, to Wednesday the 27th day of my distress; and which, as you may now perhaps never see, I will briefly mention the contents to you.

In these papers, then, are included, an account of Mrs. Jewkes's arts to draw me in to approve of Mr. Williams's proposal for marriage; and my refusing to do so; and desiring you not to encourage his suit to me. Mr. Williama's being wickedly robbed, and a visit of her's to him; whereby she discovered all his secrets. How I was inclined to get off, while she was gone, but was ridiculously prevented by my foolish fears, &c. My having the key of the back-door. Mrs. Jewkes's writing to my master all the secrets she had discovered of Mr. Williams: and her behaviour to me and him upon it. Continuance of my correspondence with

Mr. Williams by the tiles; begun in the parcel you had. My reproaches to him for thus revealing himself to Mrs. Jewkes; and his letter to me in answer, threatening to expose my master, if he deceived him; mentioning in it John Arnold's correspondence with him; and a letter which John sent, and was intercepted, as it seems. Of the correspondence being carried on by a friend of his at Gainsborough: of the horse he was to provide for me, and one for himself. Of what Mr. Williams had owned to Mrs. Jewkes; and of my encouraging his proposals. It contained a pressing letter of mine to him, urging my escape before my master came; with his half-angry answer to me. Your good letter, my dear father sent to me by Mr. Williams's conveyance; in which you would have me encourage Mr. Williams, but leave it to me; and in which fortunately you take notice of my being uninclined to marry. My earnest desire to be with you. The substance of my answer to Mr. Williams, expressing more patience, &c. A dreadful letter of my master to Mrs. Jewkes, which, by mistake, was directed to me; and one to me, directed by a like mistake to her; and very free reflections of mine upon both. The concern I expressed for Mr. Williams's being taken in, deceived, and ruined. An account of Mrs. Jewkes's glorying in her wicked fidelity. A sad description I gave of Monsieur Colbrand, a person he sent down to assist Mrs. Jewkes in watching me. How Mr. Williams was arrested, and thrown into gaol; and the concern I expressed upon it; and my free reflections on my master for it. A projected contrivance of mine, to get away out of the window, and by the back door; and throwing my petticoat and handkerchief into the pond to amuse them while I got off; an attempt that had like to have ended very dreadfully for me! My further concern for Mr. Williams's ruin, on my account: and, lastly, my overhearing Mrs. Jewkes brag of her contrivance to rob Mr. Williams, in order to get at my papers which, however, he preserved, and sent safe to you.

These, down to the execution of my unfortunate plot to escape, are, to the best of my remembrance, the contents of the papers which this merciless woman seized: for, how badly I came of

and what followed, I still have safe, as I hope, sewed in my under coat, about my hips.

In vain were all my prayers and tears to her, to get her not to shew them to my master. She said, it had now come out why I affected to be so much alone, and why I was always writing. And she thought herself happy, she said, she had found these; for often had she searched every place she could think of, for writings, to no purpose before. And she hoped, she said, there was nothing in them but what any body might see; For,' said she, you know you are all innocence!'-Insolent creature!' said I, I am sure you are all guilt! And so you must do your worst; for now I can't help myself, and I see there is no mercy to be expected from you.'

Just now my master being come up, she went to him upon the stairs, and gave him my papers. There, Sir,' said she: you always said Mrs. Pamela was a great writer; but I never could get at any thing of her's before.' He took them, and, without coming to me, vent down to the parlour again. And, what with the gypsey affair, and what with thi, I could not think of going down to dinner; and she told him that too; and so I suppose I shall have him up stairs, as soon as his company is gone.

SATURDAY, SIX O'CLOCK.

you mind what your poor servant writes?'

'Yes,' said he, by all means, mind what such a servant as my Pamela writes.'

'Your Pamela ?' thought I. Then the sham marriage came into my head; and indeed it has not been out of it, since the gypsey affair. But,' said he, 'have you any thing in these papers you would not have me see?'-To be sure, Sir,' said I, there is; for what one writes to one's father and mother, is not for every body to see. Nor,' said he, am I every body.'

6

'Those letters,' added he, that I did see, by John's means, were not to your disadvantage, I'll assure you; for they gave me a very high opinion of your wit and innocence and if I had not loved you, do you think I would have troubled myself about your letters ?'

'Alas! Sir,' said I, 'great pride to me that! For they gave you such an opinion of my innocence, that you was resolved to ruin me. And what advantage have they brought me, who have been made a prisoner, and used as I have been between you and your housekeeper?'

'Why, Pamela,' said he, a little seriously, why this behaviour, for my goodness to you in the garden? This is not of a piece with your conduct and softness there; that quite charmed me in your favour: and you must not give me cause to think you will be more insolent, as you find me kinder.'

your own heart and designs! But I fear I was too open-hearted then; and that you still keep your resolution to undo me, and have only changed the form of your proceedings.'

·

6

'Then, Sir,' said I, very gravely, 'it will be truly honourable in you not to read them; but to give them to me again.'-' To whom,' says he, are they written ?'-' To my father, Sir; but I suppose you see to whom.' 'Indeed,' returned he, I have not read three lines yet." Then, pray, Sir, don't read them, but give them to me again.' That I will not,' said he, till I have read them.'-'Sir,' said I, 'you served me not well in the letters I wrote formerly: I think it was not worthy your character to contrive to get them into your hands, by that false John Arnold; for should such a gentleman as

"When I tell you once again,' said he, a little sternly, that you cannot oblige me more, than by placing some confidence in me, I will let you know that these foolish and perverse doubts are the worst things you can be guilty of. But,' said he, I shall possibly account for the cause of them, in these particulars of yours; for I doubt not you have been sincere to your father and mother, though you begin to make me suspect you: for I tell you, perverse girl, that it is impossible you should be thus cold and insensible, after what last passed in the garden, if you were not prepossessed in some other person's favour: and let me add