"Children's Books - Defoe, Daniel - Robinson Crusoe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Children's Books)

a little the violence of the wind. Here we got in, and though not
without much difficulty got all safe on shore, and walked afterwards
on foot to Yarmouth, where, as unfortunate men, we were used with
great humanity as well by the magistrates of the town, who assigned us
good quarters, as by particular merchants and owners of ships, and had
money given us sufficient to carry us either to London or back to
Hull, as we thought fit.
Had I now had the sense to have gone back to Hull, and have gone
home, I had been happy, and my father, an emblem of our blessed
Saviour's parable, had even killed the fatted calf for me; for hearing
the ship I went away in was cast away in Yarmouth road, it was a great
while before he had any assurance that I was not drowned.
But my ill fate pushed me on now with an obstinacy that nothing
could resist; and though I had several times loud calls from my reason
and my more composed judgment to get home, yet I had no power to do
it. I knew not what to call this, nor will I urge that it is a
secret overruling decree that hurries us on to be the instruments of
our own destruction, even though it be before us, and that we rush
upon it with our eyes open. Certainly nothing but some such decreed
unavoidable misery attending, and which it was impossible for me to
escape, could have pushed me forward against the calm reasonings and
persuasions of my most retired thoughts, and against two such
visible instructions as I had met with in my first attempt.
My comrade, who had helped to harden me before, and who was the
master's son, was now less forward than I. The first time he spoke
to me after we were at Yarmouth, which was not till two or three days,
for we were separated in the town to several quarters - I say, the
first time he was me, it appeared his tone was altered, and looking
very melancholy and shaking his head, asked me how I did, and
telling his father who I was, and how I had came this voyage only
for a trial in order to go farther abroad, his father turning to me
with a very grave and concerned tone, "Young man," says he, "you ought
never to go to sea any more, you ought to take this for a plain and
visible token, that you are not to be a seafaring man." "Why, sir,"
said I, "will you go to sea no more?" "That is another case," said he;
"it is my calling, and therefore my duty; but as you made this
voyage for a trial, you see what a task Heaven has given you of what
you are to expect if you persist; perhaps this is all befallen us on
your account, like Jonah in the ship of Tarshish. Pray," continues he,
"what are you? and on what account did you go to sea?" Upon that I
told him some of my story, at the end of which he burst out with a
strange kind of passion. "What had I done," says he, "that such an
unhappy wretch should come into my ship? I would not set my foot in
the same ship with thee again for a thousand pounds." This, indeed,
was, as I said, an excursion of his spirits, which were got agitated
by the sense of his loss, and was farther than he could have authority
to go. However, he afterwards talked very gravely to me, exhorted me
to go back to my father, and not tempt Providence to my ruin; told
me I might see a visible hand of Heaven against me. "And, young
man," said he, "depend upon it, if you do not go back, wherever you go