Робинзон Крузо

           Ismiledathim,andtoldhimthatmeninourcircumstanceswerepasttheoperationoffear; thatseeingalmosteveryconditionthatcouldbewasbetterthanthatwhichweweresupposedtobein,weoughttoexpectthattheconsequence,whetherdeathorlife,wouldbesuretobeadeliverance. Iaskedhimwhathethoughtofthecircumstancesofmylife,andwhetheradeliverancewerenotworthventuringfor. "Andwhere,sir,"saidI,"isyourbeliefofmybeingpreservedhereonpurposetosaveyourlife,whichelevatedyoualittlewhileago? Formypart,"saidI,"thereseemstobebutonethingamissinalltheprospectofit." "What’sthat?"sayshe. "Why,"saidI,Itisthat,asyousay,therearethreeorfourhonestfellowsamongthemwhichshouldbespared; hadtheybeenallofthewickedpartofthecrewIshouldhavethoughtGod’sprovidencehadsingledthemouttodeliverthemintoyourhands; fordependuponit,everymanofthemthatcomesashoreareourown,andshalldieorliveastheybehavetous." 

           AsIspokethiswitharaisedvoiceandcheerfulcountenance,Ifounditgreatlyencouragedhim; sowesetvigorouslytoourbusiness. Wehad,uponthefirstappearanceoftheboat’scomingfromtheship,consideredofseparatingourprisoners,andhad,indeed,securedthemeffectually. 

           Twoofthem,ofwhomthecaptainwaslessassuredthanordinary,IsentwithFridayandoneofthethreedeliveredmentomycave, wheretheywereremoteenough,andoutofdangerofbeingheardordiscovered,oroffindingtheirwayoutofthewoods,iftheycouldhavedeliveredthemselves. Heretheyleftthembound,butgavethemprovisions,andpromisedthem,iftheycontinuedtherequietly,togivethemtheirlibertyinadayortwo; butthatiftheyattemptedtheirescape,theyshouldbeputtodeathwithoutmercy.