O how I dread this to-morrow's appearance! But be as assured, my dear parents, of
the honesty of your poor child, as I am of your prayers for
Your dutiful DAUGHTER.
O this frightful to-morrow; how I dread it!
MY DEAR PARENTS,
I know you longed to hear from me soon; and I send you as soon as I could.
Well, you may believe how uneasily I passed the time, till his appointed hour came.
Every minute, as it grew nearer, my terrors increased; and sometimes I had great
courage, and sometimes none at all; and I thought I should faint when it came to the
time my master had dined. I could neither eat nor drink, for my part; and do what I
could, my eyes were swelled with crying.
At last he went up to the closet, which was my good lady's dressing-room; a room I
once loved, but then as much hated.
Don't your heart ache for me?--I am sure mine fluttered about like a new- caught bird
in a cage. O Pamela, said I to myself, why art thou so foolish and fearful? Thou hast
done no harm! What, if thou fearest an unjust judge, when thou art innocent,
would'st thou do before a just one, if thou wert guilty? Have courage, Pamela, thou
knowest the worst! And how easy a choice poverty and honesty is, rather than plenty
and wickedness.
So I cheered myself; but yet my poor heart sunk, and my spirits were quite broken.
Everything that stirred, I thought was to call me to my account. I dreaded it, and yet I
wished it to come.
Well, at last he rung the bell: O, thought I, that it was my passing- bell! Mrs. Jervis
went up, with a full heart enough, poor good woman! He said, Where's Pamela? Let
her come up, and do you come with her. She came to me: I was ready to go with my
