Робінзон Крузо
Rescue of Prisoners From Cannibals
Butitoccurredtomythoughtswhatcall,whatoccasion,muchlesswhatnecessity,Iwasintogoanddipmyhandsinblood,toattackpeoplewhohadneitherdoneorintendedmeanywrong; who,astome,wereinnocent,andwhosebarbarouscustomsweretheirowndisaster; beinginthematoken,indeed,ofGod’shavingleftthem,withtheothernationsofthatpartoftheworld,tosuchstupidity,andtosuchinhumancourses; butdidnotcallmetotakeuponmetobeajudgeoftheiractions,muchlessanexecutionerofHisjustice; thatwheneverHethoughtfit,HewouldtakethecauseintoHisownhands,andbynationalvengeance,punishthem,asapeople,fornationalcrimes; butthat,inthemeantime,itwasnoneofmybusiness; that,itwastrue,Fridaymightjustifyit,becausehewasadeclaredenemy,andinastateofwarwiththoseveryparticularpeople,anditwaslawfulforhimtoattackthem; butIcouldnotsaythesamewithrespecttome. ThesethingsweresowarmlypresseduponmythoughtsallthewayasIwent,thatIresolvedIwouldonlygoandplacemyselfnearthem,thatImightobservetheirbarbarousfeast,andthatIwouldactthenasGodshoulddirect;butthat,unlesssomethingofferedthatwasmoreacalltomethanyetIknewof,Iwouldnotmeddlewiththem.
WiththisresolutionIenteredthewood,andwithallpossiblewarinessandsilence,Fridayfollowingcloseatmyheels,ImarchedtillIcametotheskirtthewood,onthesidewhichwasnexttothem; onlythatonecornerofthewoodlaybetweenmeandthem. HereIcalledsoftlytoFriday,andshowinghimagreattree,whichwasjustatthecornerofthewood,Ibadehimgotothetreeandbringmewordifhecouldseethereplainlywhattheyweredoing.
