Робинзон Крузо
Return to England
Butaftermakingseveralreflectionsuponthecircumstancesofmylife,andhowlittlewaythiswouldgotowardssettlingmeintheworld,IresolvedtogotoLisbon,andseeifImightnotcomebysomeinformationofthestateofmyplantationintheBrazils,andofwhatwasbecomeofmypartner,whoIhadreasontosupposehadsomeyearsnowgivenmeoverfordead.
WiththisviewItookshippingforLisbon,whereIarrivedinAprilfollowing; mymanFridayaccompanyingmeveryhonestlyinalltheseramblings,andprovingamostfaithfulservantuponalloccasions.
WhenIcametoLisbon,Ifoundout,byinquiry,andtomyparticularsatisfaction,myoldfriend,thecaptainoftheshipwhofirsttookmeupatseaofftheshoreofAfrica. Hewasnowgrownold,andhadleftoffthesea,havingputhisson,whowasfarfromayoungman,intohisship,andwhostillusedtheBraziltrade. Theoldmandidnotknowme;and,indeed,Ihardlyknewhim; butIsoonbroughthimtomyremembrance,andassoonbroughtmyselftohisremembrancewhenItoldhimwhoIwas.
Aftersomepassionateexpressionsoftheoldacquaintance,Iinquired,youmaybesure,aftermyplantationandmypartner. TheoldmantoldmehehadnotbeenintheBrazilsforaboutnineyears; butthathecouldassuremethat,whenhecameaway,mypartnerwasliving; butthetrustees,whomIhadjoinedwithhimtotakecognizanceofmypart,werebothdead. That,however,hebelievedthatIwouldhaveaverygoodaccountoftheimprovementoftheplantation; forthatuponthegeneralbeliefofmybeingcastawayanddrowned,mytrusteeshadgivenintheaccountoftheproduceofmypartoftheplantationtotheprocurator-fiscal,whohadappropriatedit,incaseInevercametoclaimit, one-thirdtotheking,andtwo-thirdstothemonasteryofSt.Augustine,tobeexpendedforthebenefitofthepoor,andfortheconversionoftheIndianstotheCatholicfaith;