Даниэль Дефо - Roxana

This was an agreeable Surprize to the Dutch Merchant, who being an honest Man himself, believ’d every thing I said, which indeed, being all really and literally true, except the Deficiency of my Marriage, I spoke with such an unconcern’d Easiness, that it might plainly be seen, that I had no Guilt upon me, as the Jew suggested.

The Jew was confounded when he heard that I was the Jeweller’s Wife ; but as I had rais’d his Passion, with saying, he look’d at me with a Devil’s Face, he studied Mischief in his Heart, and answer’d, That should not serve my Turn ; so call’d the Dutchman out again, when he told him, that he resolv’d to prosecute this Matter farther.

There was one kind Chance in this Affair, which indeed, was my Deliverance, and that was, that the Fool cou’d not restrain his Passion, but must let it fly to the Dutch Merchant; to whom, when they withdrew a second time, as above, he told, that he would bring a Process against me for the Murther; and that it should cost me dear, for using him at that rate; and away he went , desiring the Dutch Merchant to tell him when I wou’d be there again: Had he suspected, that the Dutchman wou’d have communicated the Particulars to me, he wou’d never have been so foolish as to have mention’d that Part to him.

But the Malice of his Thoughts anticipated him, and the Dutch Merchant was so good, as to give me an Account of his Design, which indeed, was wicked enough in its Nature; but to me it would have been worse, than otherwise it wou’d to another; for upon Examination, I cou’d not have prov’d myself to be the Wife of the Jeweller, so the Suspicion might have been carried on with the better Face; and then I shou’d also, have brought all his Relations in England upon me; who finding by the Proceedings, that I was not his Wife, but a Mistress, or in English, a Whore , wou’d immediately have laid Claim to the Jewels, as I had own’d them to be his.

This Thought immediately rush’d into my Head, as soon as the Dutch Merchant had told me, what wicked things were in the Head of that cursed Jew ; and the Villain ( for so I must call him ) convinc’d the Dutch Merchant that he was in earnest, by an Expression which shew’d the rest of his Design, and that was a Plot to get the rest of the Jewels into his Hand.

When first he hinted to the Dutchman , that the Jewels were such a Man’s, meaning my Husband’s, he made wonderful Explanations on account of their having been conceal’d so long; where must they have lain? and what was the Woman that brought them? and that she, meaning me, ought to be immediately apprehended, and put into the Hands of Justice; and this was the time that, as I said, he made such horrid Gestures, and look’d at me so like a Devil.

The Merchant hearing him talk at that rate, and seeing him in earnest, said to him, Hold your Tongue a little, this is a thing of Consequence; if it be so, let you and I go into the next Room and consider of it there; and so they withdrew, and left me.

Here, as before, I was uneasie, and call’d him out, and having heard how it was, gave him that Answer, that I was his Wife , or Widow, which the Malicious Jew said shou’d not serve my turn ; and then it was, that the Dutchman call’d him out again; and in this time of his withdrawing, the Merchant finding, as above, that he was really in earnest, counterfeited a little to be of his Mind, and enter’d into Proposals with him for the thing itself.

In this they agreed to go to an Advocate, or Council, for Directions how to proceed, and to meet again the next Day, against which time the Merchant was to appoint me to come again with the Jewels, in order to sell them: No , says the Merchant, I will go farther with her than so; I will desire her to leave the Jewels with me, to show to another Person, in order to get the better Price for them: That’s right , says the Jew, and I’ll engage she shall never be Mistress of them again; they shall either be seiz’d by us , says he, in the King’s Name, or she shall be glad to give them up to us, to prevent her being put to the Torture .

The Merchant said Yes to every thing he offer’d, and they agreed to meet the next Morning about it, and I was to be perswaded to leave the Jewels with him, and come to them the next Day, at four a-Clock, in order to make a good Bargain for them; and on these Conditions they parted; but the honest Dutchman , fill’d with Indignation at the barbarous Design, came directly to me, and told me the whole Story; and now , Madam, says he, you are to consider immediately what you have to do .

I told him, if I was sure to have Justice, I would not fear all that such a Rogue cou’d do to me; but how such things were carried on in France I knew not; I told him, the greatest Difficulty would be to prove our Marriage, for that it was done in England , and in a remote Part of England too, and which was worse, it would be hard to produce authentick Vouchers of it, because we were Married in Private: But as to the Death of your Husband , Madam, what can be said to that ? said he; nay , said I, what can they say to it ? In England , added I, if they wou’d offer such an Injury to any one, they must prove the Fact, or give just Reason for their Suspicions; that my Husband was Murther’d, that every one knows; but that he was robb’d, or of what, or how much, that none knows, no, not myself; and why was I not question’d for it then? I have liv’d in Paris ever since, liv’d publickly, and no Man had yet the Impudence to suggest such a thing of me.

I am fully satisfied of that, says the Merchant ; but as this is a Rogue, who will stick at nothing, what can we say? and who knows what he may swear? Suppose he should swear, that he knows your Husband had those particular Jewels with him the Morning when he went out, and that he shew’d them to him, to consider their Value, and what Price he should ask the Prince de — for them.

Nay, by the same Rule, said I , he may swear, that I murther’d my Husband, if he finds it for his Turn: That’s true, said he ; and if he shou’d, I do not see what cou’d save you; but added, I have found out his more immediate Design; his Design is to have you carried to the Chatellette , [138] the Chatellette : Originally a castle, the Châtelet contained several courts, including that of the lieutenant-general of police, and of a series of prisons for common criminals. that the Suspicion may appear just; and then to get the Jewels out of your Hands, if possible; then, at last, to drop the Prosecution, on your consenting to quit the Jewels to him; and how you will do to avoid this, is the Question, which I would have you consider of.

My Misfortune, Sir, said I , is, that I have no Time to consider, and I have no Person to consider with, or advise about it; I find, that Innocence may be oppress’d by such an impudent Fellow as this; he that does not value a Perjury, has any Man’s Life at his Mercy; but Sir, said I , is the Justice such here, that while I may be in the Hands of the Publick, and under Prosecution, he may get hold of my Effects, and get my Jewels into his Hands?

I don’t know, says he , what may be done in that Case; but if not he, if the Court of Justice shou’d get hold of them, I do not know but you may find it as difficult to get them out of their Hands again, and, at least, it may cost you half as much as they are worth; so I think it would be a much better Way, to prevent their coming at them at-all.