The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Colonel Jacque, Commonly Called Colonel JackDefoe, Daniel
General
The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Colonel Jacque, Commonly Called Colonel Jack
Defoe, Daniel
Adventure stories, English; England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Picaresque fiction
In a word, the good woman so moved me with her charitable prayers that
I put my hand in my pocket again for her: “Dame,” said I, “you are so
charitable in your petitions for this miserable creature that it puts
me in mind of one thing more which I will do for him, whether he
ordered me or not; and that is, to ask your forgiveness for the thief
in robbing you. For it was an offence and a trespass against you, as
well as an injury to you; and therefore I ask your pardon for him. Will
you sincerely and heartily forgive him, dame? I do desire it of you;”
and with that I stood up, and, with my hat off, asked her pardon. “O
sir!” says she, “do not stand up, and with your hat off to me. I am a
poor woman; I forgive him, and all that were with him; for there was
one or more with him. I forgive them with all my heart, and I pray God
to forgive them.”
“Well, dame, then,” said I, “to make you some recompense for your
charity, there is something for you more than your loss;” and with that
I gave her a crown more.
Then I asked her who that was who was robbed with her. She said it was
a servant-maid that lived then in the town, but she was gone from her
place, and she did not know where she lived now. “Well, dame,” says I,
“if ever you do hear of her, let her leave word where she may be found;
and if I live to come and see you again, I will get the money off him
for her too. I think that was but little, was it?” “No,” says she; “it
was but 5s. 6d.,” which I knew as well as she. “Well,” says I, “dame,
inquire her out if you have an opportunity;” so she promised me she
would, and away I came.
The satisfaction this gave me was very much; but then a natural
consequence attended it, which filled me with reflection afterwards;
and this was, that, by the same rule, I ought to make restitution to
all that I had wronged in the like manner; and what could I do as to
that? To this I knew not what to say, and so the thought in time wore
off; for, in short, it was impossible to be done. I had not ability,
neither did I know any of the people whom I had so injured; and that
satisfying me for the present, I let it drop.
I come now to my journey with Captain Jacque, my supposed brother. We
set out from London on foot, and travelled the first day to Ware; for
we had learnt so much of our road that the way lay through that town.
We were weary enough the first day, having not been used at all to
travelling; but we made shift to walk once up and down the town after
we came into it.
I soon found that his walking out to see the town was not to satisfy
his curiosity in viewing the place, for he had no notion of anything of
that kind, but to see if he could light of any purchase. For he was so
natural a thief that he could see nothing on the road but it occurred
to him how easily that might be taken, and how cleverly this might be
carried off, and the like.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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