"Rightly put," said the countess. "Pray let Mrs. B. choose for you,
Sir. My lady has hit the thing."
"Very good, by my soul," says Lord Jackey; "let my young aunt," that was his word, "choose for you, Sir."
"Well, then, Pamela," said Mr. B., "give us your opinion, as to this point."
"But, first," said Lady Davers, "say you will be determined by it; or else she will be laid under a difficulty."
"Well, then," replied he, "be it so—I will be determined by your opinion, my dear; give it me freely."
Lord Jackey rubbed his hands together, "Charming, charming, as I hope to live! By Jove, this is just as I wished!"
"Well, now, Pamela," said my lady, "speak your true heart without disguise: I charge you do."
"Why then, gentlemen and ladies," said I, "if I must be so bold as to speak on a subject, upon which on several accounts, it would become me to be silent, I should be against the title; but perhaps my reason is of too private a nature to weigh any thing: and if so, it would not become me to have any choice at all."
They all called upon me for my reason; and I said, looking down a little abashed, "It is this: Here my dear Mr. B. has disparaged himself by distinguishing, as he has done, such a low creature as I; and the world will be apt to say, he is seeking to repair one way the honour he has lost another! and then perhaps, it will be attributed to my pride and ambition: 'Here, they will perhaps say, 'the proud cottager will needs be a lady in hopes to conceal her descent;' whereas, had I such a vain thought, it would be but making it the more remembered against both Mr. B. and myself. And indeed, as to my own part, I take too much pride in having been lifted up into this distinction for the causes to which I owe it, your brother's bounty and generosity, than to be ashamed of what I was: only now-and-then I am concerned for his own sake, lest he should be too much censured. But this would not be prevented, but rather be promoted by the title. So I am humbly of opinion against the title."
Mr. B. had hardly patience to hear me out, but came to me and folding his arms about me, said, "Just as I wished, have you answered, my beloved Pamela; I was never yet deceived in you; no, not once."