ROBINSON CRUSOE 15

given you of what you are to expect if you persist. Perhaps
this has all befallen us on your account, like Jonah in the ship
of Tarshish. Pray,” continues he, “what are you; and on what
account did you go to sea?” Upon that I told him some of my
story; at the end of which he burst out into a strange kind of
passion: “ What had I done,” says he, “that such an unhappy
wretch should come into my ship? I would not set my foot in
the same ship with thee again for a thousand pounds.” This
indeed was, as I said, an excursion of his spirits, which were yet
agitated by the sense of his loss, and was farther than he could
have authority to go. However, he afterwards talked very
gravely to me, exhorting me to go back to my father, and not
tempt Providence to my ruin, telling me I might see a visible
hand of Heaven against me. “ And, young man,” said he, “ de-
pend upon it, if you do not go back, wherever you go, you will
meet with nothing but disasters and disappointments, till your
father’s words are fulfilled upon you.”

We parted soon after; for I made him little answer, and I saw
him no more; which way he went I knew not. As for me,
having some money in my pocket, I travelled to London by
land; and there, as well as on the road, had many struggles
with myself what course of life I should take, and whether I
should go home or to sea.

As to going home, shame opposed the best motions that offered
to my thoughts, and it immediately occurred to me how I should
be laughed at among the neighbours, and should be ashamed to
see, not my father and mother only, but even everybody else ;
from whence I have since often observed, how incongruous and
irrational the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth,
to that reason which ought to guide them in such cases—viz.
that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent ;
not ashamed of the action for which they ought justly to be
esteemed fools, but are ashamed of the returning, which only
can make them be esteemed wise men.

In this state of life, however, I remained some time, uncertain
what measures to take, and what course of life to lead. An
irresistible reluctance continued to going home; and as I stayed
away a while, the remembrance of the distress I had been in
wore off, and as that abated, the little motion I had in my
desires to return wore off with it, till at last I quite laid aside
the thoughts of it, and looked out for a voyage.