The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

Well, he acknowledged all, and was might humble indeed; he made

proposals very handsome; he came up to #100 and to pay all the law

charges, and added that he would make me a present of a very good suit

of clothes. I came down to #300, and I demanded that I should publish

an advertisement of the particulars in the common newspapers.

This was a clause he never could comply with. However, at last he came

up, by good management of my attorney, to #150 and a suit of black silk

clothes; and there I agree, and as it were, at my attorney's request,

complied with it, he paying my attorney's bill and charges, and gave us

a good supper into the bargain.

When I came to receive the money, I brought my governess with me,

dressed like an old duchess, and a gentleman very well dressed, who we

pretended courted me, but I called him cousin, and the lawyer was only

to hint privately to him that his gentleman courted the widow.

He treated us handsomely indeed, and paid the money cheerfully enough;

so that it cost him #200 in all, or rather more. At our last meeting,

when all was agreed, the case of the journeyman came up, and the mercer

begged very hard for him; told me he was a man that had kept a shop of

his own, and been in good business, had a wife, and several children,

and was very poor; that he had nothing to make satisfaction with, but

he should come to beg my pardon on his knees, if I desired it, as

openly as I pleased. I had no spleen at the saucy rogue, nor were his

submissions anything to me, since there was nothing to be got by him,

so I thought it was as good to throw that in generously as not; so I

told him I did not desire the ruin of any man, and therefore at his

request I would forgive the wretch; it was below me to seek any revenge.

When we were at supper he brought the poor fellow in to make

acknowledgment, which he would have done with as much mean humility as

his offence was with insulting haughtiness and pride, in which he was

an instance of a complete baseness of spirit, impious, cruel, and

relentless when uppermost and in prosperity, abject and low-spirited

when down in affliction. However, I abated his cringes, told him I

forgave him, and desired he might withdraw, as if I did not care for

the sight of him, though I had forgiven him.

I was now in good circumstances indeed, if I could have known my time

for leaving off, and my governess often said I was the richest of the

trade in England; and so I believe I was, for I had #700 by me in

money, besides clothes, rings, some plate, and two gold watches, and

all of them stolen, for I had innumerable jobs besides these I have

mentioned. Oh! had I even now had the grace of repentance, I had

still leisure to have looked back upon my follies, and have made some

reparation; but the satisfaction I was to make for the public mischiefs

I had done was yet left behind; and I could not forbear going abroad

again, as I called it now, than any more I could when my extremity

really drove me out for bread.