The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

There were other papers rolled up, and I asked him what they were.

'Why, ay,' says he, 'that's the question I wanted to have you ask me';

so he unrolls them and takes out a little shagreen case, and gives me

out of it a very fine diamond ring. I could not refuse it, if I had a

mind to do so, for he put it upon my finger; so I made him a curtsy and

accepted it. Then he takes out another ring: 'And this,' says he, 'is

for another occasion,' so he puts that in his pocket. 'Well, but let

me see it, though,' says I, and smiled; 'I guess what it is; I think

you are mad.' 'I should have been mad if I had done less,' says he, and

still he did not show me, and I had a great mind to see it; so I says,

'Well, but let me see it.' 'Hold,' says he, 'first look here'; then he

took up the roll again and read it, and behold! it was a licence for us

to be married. 'Why,' says I, 'are you distracted? Why, you were

fully satisfied that I would comply and yield at first word, or

resolved to take no denial.' 'The last is certainly the case,' said

he. 'But you may be mistaken,' said I. 'No, no,' says he, 'how can

you think so? I must not be denied, I can't be denied'; and with that

he fell to kissing me so violently, I could not get rid of him.

There was a bed in the room, and we were walking to and again, eager in

the discourse; at last he takes me by surprise in his arms, and threw

me on the bed and himself with me, and holding me fast in his arms, but

without the least offer of any indecency, courted me to consent with

such repeated entreaties and arguments, protesting his affection, and

vowing he would not let me go till I had promised him, that at last I

said, 'Why, you resolve not to be denied, indeed, I can't be denied.'

'Well, well,' said I, and giving him a slight kiss, 'then you shan't be

denied,' said I; 'let me get up.' He was so transported with my consent, and the kind manner of it, that

I began to think once he took it for a marriage, and would not stay for

the form; but I wronged him, for he gave over kissing me, and then

giving me two or three kisses again, thanked me for my kind yielding to

him; and was so overcome with the satisfaction and joy of it, that I

saw tears stand in his eyes.