Робінзон Крузо
Visit of Mutineers
"Ourcase,"saidhe,"sir,istoolongtotellyouwhileourmurderersaresonear; butinshort,sir,Iwascommanderofthatship;mymenhavemutiniedagainstme,theyhavebeenhardlyprevailedonnottomurderme; andatlasthavesetmeonshoreinthisdesolateplace,withthesetwomenwithme,onemymate,theotherapassenger,whereweexpectedtoperish,believingtheplacetobeuninhabited,andknownotyetwhattothinkofit."
"Wherearethosebrutes,yourenemies?"saidI. "Doyouknowwheretheyaregone?" "Theretheylie,sir,"saidhe,pointingtoathicketoftrees. "Myhearttremblesforfeartheyhaveseenus,andheardyouspeak.Iftheyhave,theywillcertainlymurderusall."
"Havetheyanyfire-arms?"saidI. Heansweredtheyhadonlytwopieces,andonewhichtheyleftintheboat. "Wellthen,"saidI,"leavetheresttome,Iseetheyareallasleep; itisaneasythingtokillthemall;butshallwerathertakethemprisoners?" Hetoldmethereweretwodesperatevillainsamongthemthatitwasscarcesafetoshowanymercyto; butiftheyweresecured,hebelievedalltherestwouldreturntotheirduty. Iaskedhimwhichtheywere. Hetoldmehecouldnotatthatdistancedescribethem,buthewouldobeymyorderinanythingIwoulddirect. "Well,"saysI,"letusretreatoutoftheirvieworhearing,lesttheyawake,andwewillresolvefurther." Sotheywillinglywentbackwithme,tillthewoodscoveredusfromthem.
"Lookyou,sir,"saidI,"ifIventureuponyourdeliverance,areyouwillingtomaketwoconditionswithme?" Heanticipatedmyproposals bytellingmethatbothheandtheship,ifrecovered,shouldbewhollydirectedandcommandedbymeineverything; andiftheshipwasnotrecoveredhewouldliveanddiewithmeinwhatpartoftheworldsoeverIwouldsendhim; andthetwoothermensaidthesame.
