356 CRUSOE AND THE WIDOW,

myself over for lost; and as it was, I believe I shall never care tc
cross those mountains again. I think I would much rather go a
thousand leagues by sea, though I were sure to meet with a storm
once a week.

I have nothing uncommon to take notice of in my passage
through France, nothing but what other travellers have given an
account of with much more advantage than I can. I travelled
from Toulouse to Paris, and, without any considerable stay, came
to Calais, and landed safe at Dover, the 14th of January, after
having had a severe cold season to travel in.

I was now come to the centre of my travels, and had in a little
time all my new discovered estate safe about me, the bills of
exchange which I brought with me haying been very currently
paid.

My principal guide and privy counsellor was my goud ancicnt
widow, who, in gratitude for the money I had sent her, thought
no pains too much or care too great to employ for me; and 1]
trusted her so entirely with everything that I was perfectly easy as
to the security of my effects; and indeed I was very happy from
my beginning, and now to the end, in the unspotted integrity of
this good gentlewoman.

And now I began to think of leaving my effects with this
woman, and setting out for Lisbon, and so to the Brazils. But
now another scruple came in my way, and that was religion: for
as I had entertained some doubts about the Roman religion, even
while I was abroad, especially in my state of solitude, so I knew
there was no going to the Brazils for me, much less going to settle
there, unless I resolved to embrace the Roman Catholic religion
without any reserve; unless, on the other hand, I resolved to be a
sacrifice to my principles, be a martyr for religion, and die in the
Inquisition. So I resolved to stay at home, and if I could find
means for it, to dispose of my plantation.

To this purpose I wrote to my old friend at Lisbon; who in re-
turn gave me notice that he could easily dispose of it there, but
that if I thought fit to give him leave to offer it in my name to
the two merchants, the survivors of my trustees, who lived in the
Brazils, who must fully understand the value of it, who lived jus‘