ROBINSON CRUSOE. 353

woods, the trees, &c.” “I believe he is,” said I. Immediately
we perceived Will Atkins start upon his feet, fall down upon
his knees, and lift up both his hands. We supposed he said
something, but we could not hear him ; it was too far for that.
He did not continue kneeling half a minute, but comes and
sits down again by his wife, and talks to her again; we per-
ceived then the woman very attentive, but whether she said
anything to him we could not tell. While the poor fellow was
upon his knees, I could see the tears run plentifully down my
clergyman’s cheeks, and I could hardly forbear myself ; but it
was a great affliction to us both that we were not near enough
to hear anything that passed between them. Well, however,
we could come no nearer for fear of disturbing them: so we
resolved to see an end of this piece of still conversation, and it
spoke loud enough tous without the help of voice. He sat down
again, as I have said, close by her, and talked again earnestly
to her, and two or three times we could see him embrace her
most passionately; another time we saw him take out his
handkerchief and wipe her eyes, and then kiss her again with
a kind of transport very unusual ; and after several of these
things, we saw him on a sudden jump up again, and lend her
his hand to help her up, when immediately leading her by the
hand a step or two, they both kneeled down together, and con-
tinued so for about two minutes.

My friend could bear it no longer, but cries out aloud, “ St.
Paul! St. Paul! behold he prayeth.” I was afraid Atkins
would hear him ; therefore I entreated him to withhold him-
self awhile, that we might see an end of the scene, which to me,
I must confess, was the most affecting that I ever saw in my
life. Well, he strove with himself for a while, but was in such
raptures, to think that this poor heathen woman was become a
Christian, that he was not able to contain himself ; he wept
several times, then throwing up his hands and crossing his
breast, said over several things ejaculatory, and by the way of
giving God thanks for so miraculous a testimony of the success
of our endeavors ; some he spoke softly, and I could not well
hear others ; some in Latin, some in French ; then two or three
times the tears would interrupt him, that he could not speak
at all; but I begged that he would contain himself, and let us
more narrowly and fully observe what was before us, which
he did for a time, the scene not being near ended yet ; for after
the poor man and his wife were risen again from their knees,
we observed he stood talking still eagerly to her, and we
observed her motion, that she was greatly affected with what