Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe Read Free Book Online

was.”
    This discourse surprised him indeed very much. He told me that it was a critical point indeed for me to manage, and he did not see which way I should get out of it; but he would consider of it and let me know next time we met what resolution he was come to about it; and in the meantime desired I would not give my consent to his brother nor yet give him a flat denial, but that I would hold him in suspense awhile.
    I seemed to start at his saying I should not give him my consent. I told him he knew very well I had no consent to give; that he had engaged himself to marry me and that I was thereby engaged to him; that he had all along told me I was his wife, and I looked upon myself as effectually so as if the ceremony had passed; and that it was from his own mouth that I did so, he having all along persuaded me to call myself his wife.
    “Well, my dear,” says he, “don’t be concerned at that now; if I am not your husband, I’ll be as good as a husband to you; and do not let those things trouble you now, but let me look a little farther into this affair, and I shall be able to say more next time we meet.”
    He pacified me as well as he could with this, but I found he was very thoughtful, and that though he was very kind to me, and kissed me a thousand times and more I believe, and gave me money too, yet he offered no more all the while we were together, which was above two hours, and which I much wondered at, considering how it used to be and what opportunity we had.
    His brother did not come from London for five or six days, and it was two days more before he got an opportunity to talk with him; but then, getting him by himself, he talked very close to him about it, and the same evening found means (for we had a long conference together) to repeat all their discourse to me, which as near as I can remember was to the purpose following. He told him he heard strange news of him since he went,
viz.
, that he made love to Mrs. Betty. “Well,” says his brother a little angrily, “and what then? What has anybody to do with that?” “Nay,” says his brother, “don’t be angry, Robin; I don’t pretend to have anything to do with it, but I find they do concern themselves about it and that they have used the poor girl ill about it, which I should take as done to myself.” “Who do you mean by
they
?” says Robin. “I mean my mother and the girls,” says the elder brother.
    “But hark ye,” says his brother, “are you in earnest? Do you really love the girl?” “Why, then,” says Robin, “I will be free with you; I do love her above all the women in the world, and I will have her, let them say and do what they will. I believe the girl will not deny me.”
    It stuck me to the heart when he told me this, for though it was most rational to think I would not deny him, yet I knew in my own conscience I must, and I saw my ruin in my being obliged to do so; but I knew it was my business to talk otherwise then, so I interrupted him in his story thus: “Ay!” said I. “Does he think I cannot deny him? But he shall find I can deny him for all that.” “Well, my dear,” says he, “but let me give you the whole story as it went on between us, and then say what you will.”
    Then he went on and told me that he replied thus: “But, brother, you know she has nothing, and you may have several ladies with good fortunes.” “’Tis no matter for that,” said Robin; “I love the girl, and I will never please my pocket in marrying and not please my fancy.” “And so, my dear,” adds he, “there is no opposing him.”
    “Yes, yes,” says I, “I can oppose him; I have learnt to say no now though I had not learnt it before; if the best lord in the land offered me marriage now, I could very cheerfully say no to him.”
    “Well, but, my dear,” says he, “what can you say to him? You know, as you said before, he will ask you many questions about it, and all the house will wonder what the meaning of it