Даниэль Дефо - Roxana

When all the Dress was put on, I loaded it with Jewels, and in particular, I plac’d the large Breast-Jewel which he had given me, of a thousand Pistoles, upon the Front of the Tyhaia , or Head-Dress; where it made a most glorious Show indeed; I had my own Diamond-Necklace on, and my Hair was Tout Brilliant , all glittering with Jewels.

His Picture set with Diamonds, I had plac’d stich’d to my Vest, just, as might be suppos’d , upon my Heart, (which is the Compliment in such Cases among the Eastern People) and all being open at the Breast, there was no room for any-thing of a Jewel there: In this Figure, Amy holding the Train of my Robe, I came down to him: He was surpriz’d, and perfectly astonish’d; he knew me, to be sure , because I had prepar’d him, and because there was nobody else there, but the QUAKER and Amy ; but he by no means knew Amy ; for she had dress’d herself in the Habit of a Turkish Slave, being the Garb of my little Turk , which I had at Naples, as I have said ; she had her Neck and Arms bare; was bare-headed, and her Hair breeded [286] breeded : braided. in a long Tossel [287] Tossel : tassel. hanging down her Back; but the Jade cou’d neither hold her Countenance, or her chattering Tongue, so as to be conceal’d long.

Well, he was so charm’d with this Dress, that he wou’d have me sit and dine in it; but it was so thin, and so open before, and the Weather being also sharp, that I was afraid of taking Cold; however, the Fire being enlarg’d, and the Doors kept shut, I sat to oblige him; and he profess’d, he never saw so fine a Dress in his Life: I afterwards told him, that my Husband ( so he call’d the Jeweller that was kill’d) bought it for me, at Leghorn , with a young Turkish Slave, which I parted with at Paris ; and that it was by the help of that Slave that I learn’d how to dress in it, and how every-thing was to be worn, and many of the Turkish Customs also, with some of their Language; this Story agreeing with the Fact, only changing the Person, was very natural, and so it went off with him; but there was good Reason why I shou’d not receive any Company in this Dress, that is to say , not in England; I need not repeat it; you will hear more of it .

But when I came Abroad, I frequently put it on, and upon two or three Occasions danc’d in it, but always at his Request.

We continued at the QUAKER’S Lodgings for above a Year; for now making as tho’ it was difficult to determine where to settle in England to his Satisfaction, unless in London , which was not to mine; I pretended to make him an Offer, that to oblige him, I began to incline to go and live Abroad with him; that I knew nothing could be more agreeable to him, and that as to me, every Place was alike; that as I had liv’d Abroad without a Husband so many Years, it cou’d be no Burthen to me to live Abroad again, especially with him ; then we fell to straining our Courtesies upon one-another; he told me, he was perfectly easie at living in England , and had squar’d all his Affairs accordingly; for that, as he had told me he intended to give over all Business in the World, as well the Care of managing it, as the Concern about it; seeing we were both in Condition, neither to want it, or to have it be worth our while; so I might see it was his Intention, by his getting himself Naturaliz’d, and getting the Patent of Baronet, &c . Well, for-all that, I told him, I accepted his Compliment, but I cou’d not but know that his Native Country, where his Children were breeding up, must be most agreeable to him, and that if I was of such Value to him, I wou’d be there then, to enhanse the rate of his Satisfaction; that where-ever he was, wou’d be a Home to me; and any Place in the World wou’d be England to me, if he was with me; and thus, in short , I brought him to give me leave to oblige him with going to live Abroad; when in truth, I cou’d not have been perfectly easie at living in England , unless I had kept constantly withindoors; lest some time or other, the dissolute Life I had liv’d here, shou’d have come to be known; and all those wicked things have been known too, which I now began to be very much asham’d of.

When we clos’d up our Wedding-Week, in which our QUAKER had been so very handsome to us, I told him how much I though we were oblig’d to her for her generous Carriage [288] Carriage : conduct. to us; how she had acted the kindest Part thro’ the whole, and how faithful a Friend she had been to me, upon all Occasions; and then letting him know a little of her Family Unhappinesses, I propos’d, that I thought I not only ought to be grateful to her, but really to do something extraordinary for her, towards making her easie in her Affairs; and I added , that I had no hangers-on, that shou’d trouble him; that there was no-body belong’d to me, but what was thorowly provided for; and that if I did something for this honest Woman, that was considerable, it shou’d be the last Gift I wou’d give to any-body in the World, but Amy ; and as for her, we was not a-going to turn her adrift, but whenever any-thing offer’d, for her, we wou’d do as we saw Cause; that in the mean time, Amy was not poor; that she had sav’d together between seven and eight Hundred Pounds; by the way, I did not tell him how, and by what wicked Ways she had got it ; but that she had it ; and that was enough to let him know she wou’d never be in want of us.

My Spouse was exceedingly pleas’d with my Discourse about the QUAKER, made a kind of a Speech to me upon the Subject of Gratitude; told me , it was one of the brightest Parts of a Gentlewoman; that it was so twisted with Honesty, nay , and even with Religion too, that he question’d whether either of them cou’d be found, where Gratitude was not to be found; that in this Act there was not only Gratitude, but Charity; and that to make the Charity still more Christian-like, the Object too had real Merit to attract it; he therefore agreed to the thing with all his Heart, only wou’d have had me let him pay it out of his Effects.

I told him, as for that , I did not design, whatever I had said formerly , that we shou’d have two Pockets ; and that tho’ I had talk’d to him of being a Free Woman, and an Independent, and the like , and he had offer’d and promis’d that I shou’d keep all my own Estate in my own Hands; yet, that since I had taken him, I wou’d e’en do as other honest Wives did, where I thought fit to give myself, I shou’d give what I had too; that if I reserv’d any-thing, it shou’d be only in case of Mortality, and that I might give it to his Children afterwards, as my own Gift ; and that, in short , if he thought fit to join Stocks, we wou’d see to Morrow Morning, what Strength we cou’d both make up in the World, and bringing it all together, consider before we resolv’d upon the Place of removing, how we shou’d dispose of what we had, as well as of ourselves: This Discourse was too obliging, and he too much a Man of Sence, not to receive it, as it was meant; he only answer’d , We wou’d do in that, as we shou’d both agree; but the thing under our present Care, was to shew not Gratitude only, but Charity and Affection too, to our kind Friend the QUAKER; and the first Word he spoke of, was to settle a thousand Pounds upon her, for her Life, that is to say , sixty Pounds a Year; but in such a manner, as not to be in the Power of any Person to reach, but herself: This was a great thing, and indeed, shew’d the generous Principles of my Husband, and for that reason I mention it; but I thought that a little too much too, and particularly, because I had another thing in View for her, about the Plate; so I told him, I thought if he gave her a Purse with a Hundred Guineas as a Present first , and then made her a Compliment of 40 l . per Annum for her Life, secur’d any such Way as she shou’d desire, it wou’d be very handsome.