Робінзон Крузо
Ill and Conscience–Stricken
Thiswasthefirstprayer,ifImaycallitso,thatIhadmadeformanyyears. ButIreturntomyjournal.
June28. —HavingbeensomewhatrefreshedwiththesleepIhadhad,andthefitbeingentirelyoff,Igotup; andthoughthefrightandterrorofmy—dreamwasverygreat,yetIconsideredthatthefitoftheaguewouldreturnagainthenextday,andnowwasmytimetogetsomethingtorefreshandsupportmyselfwhenIshouldbeill. AndthefirstthingIdidIfilledalargesquarecase-bottlewithwater,andsetituponmytableinreachofmybed; andtotakeoffthechilloraguishdispositionofthewater,Iputaboutaquarterofapintofrumintoit,andmixedthemtogether. ThenIgotmeapieceofthegoat’sflesh,andbroileditonthecoals,butcouldeatverylittle. Iwalkedabout,butwasveryweak,andwithalverysadandheavy-heartedinthesenseofmymiserablecondition,dreadingthereturnofmydistemperthenextday. AtnightImademysupperofthreeoftheturtle’seggs,whichIroastedintheashes,andeat,aswecallit,intheshell; andthiswasthefirstbitofmeatIhadeveraskedGod’sblessingto,evenasIcouldremember,inmywholelife.
AfterIhadeaten,Itriedtowalk,butfoundmyselfsoweakthatIcouldhardlycarrythegun(forIneverwentoutwithoutthat); soIwentbutalittleway,andsatdownupontheground,lookingoutuponthesea,whichwasjustbeforeme,andverycalmandsmooth. AsIsathere,somesuchthoughtsastheseoccurredtome.
Whatisthisearthandsea,ofwhichIhaveseensomuch? Whenceisitproduced? AndwhatamI,andalltheothercreatures,wildandtame,humanandbrutal,whencearewe? SureweareallmadebysomesecretPower,whoformedtheearthandsea,theairandsky. Andwhoisthat?
