The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

Thus, you see, having committed a crime once is a sad handle to the

committing of it again; whereas all the regret and reflections wear off

when the temptation renews itself. Had I not yielded to see him again,

the corrupt desire in him had worn off, and 'tis very probable he had

never fallen into it with anybody else, as I really believe he had not

done before.

When he went away, I told him I hoped he was satisfied he had not been

robbed again. He told me he was satisfied in that point, and could

trust me again, and putting his hand in his pocket, gave me five

guineas, which was the first money I had gained that way for many years.

I had several visits of the like kind from him, but he never came into

a settled way of maintenance, which was what I would have best pleased

with. Once, indeed, he asked me how I did to live. I answered him

pretty quick, that I assured him I had never taken that course that I

took with him, but that indeed I worked at my needle, and could just

maintain myself; that sometime it was as much as I was able to do, and

I shifted hard enough.

He seemed to reflect upon himself that he should be the first person to

lead me into that, which he assured me he never intended to do himself;

and it touched him a little, he said, that he should be the cause of

his own sin and mine too. He would often make just reflections also

upon the crime itself, and upon the particular circumstances of it with

respect to himself; how wine introduced the inclinations how the devil

led him to the place, and found out an object to tempt him, and he made

the moral always himself.

When these thoughts were upon him he would go away, and perhaps not

come again in a month's time or longer; but then as the serious part

wore off, the lewd part would wear in, and then he came prepared for

the wicked part. Thus we lived for some time; thought he did not keep,

as they call it, yet he never failed doing things that were handsome,

and sufficient to maintain me without working, and, which was better,

without following my old trade.

But this affair had its end too; for after about a year, I found that

he did not come so often as usual, and at last he left if off

altogether without any dislike to bidding adieu; and so there was an

end of that short scene of life, which added no great store to me, only

to make more work for repentance.