Робинзон Крузо
A Dream Realised
Uponthis,however,Imadethisconclusion: thatmyonlywaytogoaboutanattemptforanescapewas,ifpossible,togetasavageintomypossession; and,ifpossible,itshouldbeoneoftheirprisonerswhomtheyhadcondemnedtobeeaten,andshouldbringthithertokill. Butthesethoughtswereattendedwiththisdifficulty,thatitwasimpossibletoeffectthiswithoutattackingawholecaravanofthem,andkillingthemall; andthiswasnotonlyaverydesperateattempt,andmightmiscarry; but,ontheotherhand,Ihadgreatlyscrupledthelawfulnessofittome; andmyhearttrembledatthethoughtsofsheddingsomuchblood,thoughitwasformydeliverance. Ineednotrepeattheargumentswhichoccurredtomeagainstthis,theybeingthesamementionedbefore. ButthoughIhadotherreasonstooffernow,viz.,thatthosemenwereenemiestomylife,andwoulddevourmeiftheycould; thatitwasself-preservation,inthehighestdegree,todelivermyselffromthisdeathofalife,andwasactinginmyowndefenceasmuchasiftheywereactuallyassaultingme,andthelike; Isay,thoughthesethingsarguedforit,yetthethoughtsofsheddinghumanbloodformydeliverancewereveryterribletome,andsuchasIcouldbynomeansreconcilemyselftoagreatwhile.
However,atlast,aftermanysecretdisputeswithmyself,andaftergreatperplexitiesaboutit,forallthesearguments,onewayandanother,struggledinmyheadalongtime,theeagerprevailingdesireofdeliveranceatlengthmasteredalltherest,andIresolved,ifpossible,togetoneofthosesavagesintomyhands,costwhatitwould. Mynextthing,thenwastocontrivehowtodoit,andthisindeedwasverydifficultytoresolveon. ButasIcouldpitchuponnoprobablemeansforit,soIresolvedtoputmyselfuponthewatch,toseethemwhentheycameonshore,andleavetheresttotheevent,takingsuchmeasuresastheopportunityshouldpresent,letbewhatwouldbe.
