THE FORTUNES AND MISFORTUNES OF MOLL FLANDERS
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such a sincere disinterested honesty in him, that I began to think I had certainly found the honest man I wanted, and that I could never put myself into better hands; so I told him with a great deal of frankness that I had never met with a man or woman yet that I could trust, or in whom I could think myself safe, but that I saw he was so disinterestedly concerned for my safety, that would I freely trust him with the management of that little I had, if he would accept to be steward for a poor widow that could give him no salary.
He smiled, and, standing up, with great respect saluted me. He told me he could not but take it very kindly that I had so good an opinion of him; that he would not deceive me; that he would do anything in his power to serve me, and expect no salary; but that he could not by any means accept of a trust that might bring him to be suspected of self-interest, and that if I should die he might have disputes with my executors, which he should be very loth to encumber himself with.
I told him if those were all his objections I would soon remove them, and convince him that there was not the least room for any difficulty; for that, first, as for suspecting him, if ever, now was the time to suspect him, and not to put the trust into his hands; and whenever I did suspect him, he could but throw it up then, and refuse to go on. Then, as to executors, I assured him I had no heirs, nor any relations in England, and I would have neither heirs or executors but himself, unless I should alter my conditions, and then his trust and trouble should cease together, which, however, I had no prospect of yet; but I told him, if I died as I was, it should be all his own, and he would deserve it by being so faithful to me, as I was satisfied he would be.
He changed his countenance at this discourse, and asked me how I came to have so much goodwill for him; and looking very much pleased, said he might very lawfully wish he was single for my sake. I smiled, and told him, that as he was not, my offer could have no design upon him, and to wish was not to be allowed, 'twas criminal to his wife.
He told me I was wrong; 'for', says he, 'as I said before, I have a wife and no wife, and 'twould be no sin to wish her hanged.' 'I know nothing of your circumstances that way, sir', said I; 'but it cannot be innocent to wish your wife dead.' 'I tell you', says he again, 'she is a wife and no wife; you don't know what I am, or what she is.'
'That's true', said I, 'sir, I don't know what you are; but I believe you to be an honest man, and that's the cause of all my confidence in you.'
'Well, well', says he, 'and so I am; but I am something too, madam; for', says he, 'to be plain with you, I am a cuckold, and she is a whore.' He spoke it in a kind of jest, but it was with such an awkward smile, that I perceived it stuck very close to him, and he looked dismally when he said it.
'That alters the case indeed, sir', said I, 'as to that part you were speaking of; but a cuckold, you know, may be an honest man; it does not alter that case at all. Besides, I think', said I, 'since your wife is so dishonest to you, you are too honest to her to own her for your wife; but that', said I, 'is what I have nothing to do with.' 'Nay', says he, 'I do think to clear my hands of her; for, to be plain with you, madam', added he, 'I am no contented cuckold neither: on the other hand, I assure you it provokes me to the highest degree, but I can't help myself; she that will be a whore, will be a whore.'
