The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

I could not conceal my disorder so much from the woman but that she

perceived it, and thought I was not well, which I was obliged to

pretend was true; upon which she pressed me to rise, the ground being

damp and dangerous, which I did accordingly, and walked away.

As I was going back again, and still talking of this gentleman and his

son, a new occasion of melancholy offered itself thus. The woman

began, as if she would tell me a story to divert me: 'There goes,' says

she, 'a very odd tale among the neighbours where this gentleman

formerly live.' 'What was that?' said I. 'Why,' says she, 'that old

gentleman going to England, when he was a young man, fell in love with

a young lady there, one of the finest women that ever was seen, and

married her, and brought her over hither to his mother who was then

living. He lived here several years with her,' continued she, 'and had

several children by her, of which the young gentleman that was with him

now was one; but after some time, the old gentlewoman, his mother,

talking to her of something relating to herself when she was in

England, and of her circumstances in England, which were bad enough,

the daughter-in-law began to be very much surprised and uneasy; and, in

short, examining further into things, it appeared past all

contradiction that the old gentlewoman was her own mother, and that

consequently that son was his wife's own brother, which struck the

whole family with horror, and put them into such confusion that it had

almost ruined them all. The young woman would not live with him; the

son, her brother and husband, for a time went distracted; and at last

the young woman went away for England, and has never been heard of

since.' It is easy to believe that I was strangely affected with this story,

but 'tis impossible to describe the nature of my disturbance. I seemed

astonished at the story, and asked her a thousand questions about the

particulars, which I found she was thoroughly acquainted with. At last

I began to inquire into the circumstances of the family, how the old

gentlewoman, I mean my mother, died, and how she left what she had; for

my mother had promised me very solemnly, that when she died she would

do something for me, and leave it so, as that, if I was living, I

should one way or other come at it, without its being in the power of

her son, my brother and husband, to prevent it. She told me she did

not know exactly how it was ordered, but she had been told that my

mother had left a sum of money, and had tied her plantation for the

payment of it, to be made good to the daughter, if ever she could be

heard of, either in England or elsewhere; and that the trust was left

with this son, who was the person that we saw with his father.