The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

This was all strange news to me, and things I had not been used to; and

really my heart began to look up more seriously than I think it ever

did before, and to look with great thankfulness to the hand of

Providence, which had done such wonders for me, who had been myself the

greatest wonder of wickedness perhaps that had been suffered to live in

the world. And I must again observe, that not on this occasion only,

but even on all other occasions of thankfulness, my past wicked and

abominable life never looked so monstrous to me, and I never so

completely abhorred it, and reproached myself with it, as when I had a

sense upon me of Providence doing good to me, while I had been making

those vile returns on my part.

But I leave the reader to improve these thoughts, as no doubt they will

see cause, and I go on to the fact. My son's tender carriage and kind

offers fetched tears from me, almost all the while he talked with me.

Indeed, I could scarce discourse with him but in the intervals of my

passion; however, at length I began, and expressing myself with wonder

at my being so happy to have the trust of what I had left, put into the

hands of my own child, I told him, that as to the inheritance of it, I

had no child but him in the world, and was now past having any if I

should marry, and therefore would desire him to get a writing drawn,

which I was ready to execute, by which I would, after me, give it

wholly to him and to his heirs. And in the meantime, smiling, I asked

him what made him continue a bachelor so long. His answer was kind and

ready, that Virginia did not yield any great plenty of wives, and that

since I talked of going back to England, I should send him a wife from

London.

This was the substance of our first day's conversation, the pleasantest

day that ever passed over my head in my life, and which gave me the

truest satisfaction. He came every day after this, and spent a great

part of his time with me, and carried me about to several of his

friends' houses, where I was entertained with great respect. Also I

dined several times at his own house, when he took care always to see

his half-dead father so out of the way that I never saw him, or he me.

I made him one present, and it was all I had of value, and that was one

of the gold watches, of which I mentioned above, that I had two in my

chest, and this I happened to have with me, and I gave it him at his

third visit. I told him I had nothing of any value to bestow but that,

and I desired he would now and then kiss it for my sake. I did not

indeed tell him that I had stole it from a gentlewoman's side, at a

meeting-house in London. That's by the way.