The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

This fit of crying held me near two hours, and, as I believe, held me

till they were all out of the world, and then a most humble, penitent,

serious kind of joy succeeded; a real transport it was, or passion of

joy and thankfulness, but still unable to give vent to it by words, and

in this I continued most part of the day.

In the evening the good minister visited me again, and then fell to his

usual good discourses. He congratulated my having a space yet allowed

me for repentance, whereas the state of those six poor creatures was

determined, and they were now past the offers of salvation; he

earnestly pressed me to retain the same sentiments of the things of

life that I had when I had a view of eternity; and at the end of all

told me I should not conclude that all was over, that a reprieve was

not a pardon, that he could not yet answer for the effects of it;

however, I had this mercy, that I had more time given me, and that it

was my business to improve that time.

This discourse, though very seasonable, left a kind of sadness on my

heart, as if I might expect the affair would have a tragical issue

still, which, however, he had no certainty of; and I did not indeed, at

that time, question him about it, he having said that he would do his

utmost to bring it to a good end, and that he hoped he might, but he

would not have me be secure; and the consequence proved that he had

reason for what he said.

It was about a fortnight after this that I had some just apprehensions

that I should be included in the next dead warrant at the ensuing

sessions; and it was not without great difficulty, and at last a humble

petition for transportation, that I avoided it, so ill was I beholding

to fame, and so prevailing was the fatal report of being an old

offender; though in that they did not do me strict justice, for I was

not in the sense of the law an old offender, whatever I was in the eye

of the judge, for I had never been before them in a judicial way

before; so the judges could not charge me with being an old offender,

but the Recorder was pleased to represent my case as he thought fit.

I had now a certainty of life indeed, but with the hard conditions of

being ordered for transportation, which indeed was hard condition in

itself, but not when comparatively considered; and therefore I shall

make no comments upon the sentence, nor upon the choice I was put to.

We shall all choose anything rather than death, especially when 'tis

attended with an uncomfortable prospect beyond it, which was my case.