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第9章 进入学院

　　I asked them what put them upon all these fortifications; he toldme I would say there was need enough of it when they had given mean account how they had passed their time since their arriving inthe island, especially after they had the misfortune to find that Iwas gone. He told me he could not but have some pleasure in mygood fortune, when he heard that I was gone in a good ship, and tomy satisfaction; and that he had oftentimes a strong persuasionthat one time or other he should see me again, but nothing thatever befell him in his life, he said, was so surprising andafflicting to him at first as the disappointment he was under whenhe came back to the island and found I was not there.

　　W.A. - That's true, indeed; but I have been a wicked wretch, andhave not only forgotten to acquaint thee with anything before, buthave lived without God in the world myself.

　　For my part, I know not to this hour whether there are any suchthings as real apparitions, spectres, or walking of people afterthey are dead; or whether there is anything in the stories theytell us of that kind more than the product of vapours, sick minds,and wandering fancies: but this I know, that my imagination workedup to such a height, and brought me into such excess of vapours, orwhat else I may call it, that I actually supposed myself often uponthe spot, at my old castle, behind the trees; saw my old Spaniard,Friday's father, and the reprobate sailors I left upon the island;nay, I fancied I talked with them, and looked at them steadily,though I was broad awake, as at persons just before me; and this Idid till I often frightened myself with the images my fancy

　　It was now the beginning of the year 1693, when my nephew, whom, asI have observed before, I had brought up to the sea, and had madehim commander of a ship, was come home from a short voyage toBilbao, being the first he had made. He came to me, and told methat some merchants of his acquaintance had been proposing to himto go a voyage for them to the East Indies, and to China, asprivate traders. "And now, uncle," says he, "if you will go to seawith me, I will engage to land you upon your old habitation in theisland; for we are to touch at the Brazils."

　　This scarecrow was set up at the outer side of the village; andwhen I came near to it there were sixteen or seventeen creaturesall lying flat upon the ground round this hideous block of wood; Isaw no motion among them, any more than if they had been all logs,like the idol, and at first I really thought they had been so; but,when I came a little nearer, they started up upon their feet, andraised a howl, as if it had been so many deep-mouthed hounds, andwalked away, as if they were displeased at our disturbing them. Alittle way off from the idol, and at the door of a hut, made ofsheep and cow skins dried, stood three men with long knives intheir hands; and in the middle of the tent appeared three sheepkilled, and one young bullock. These, it seems, were sacrifices tothat senseless log of an idol; the three men were priests belongingto it, and the seventeen prostrated wretches were the people whobrought the offering, and were offering their prayers to thatstock.

　　W.A. - Sir, it is impossible to give you a full account of it; I amtoo full to hold it, and yet have no tongue to express it; but lether have said what she will, though I cannot give you an account ofit, this I can tell you, that I have resolved to amend and reformmy life.

hough I had notthe letter till I got to London, several years after it waswritten, that they went on but poorly; were discontented with theirlong stay there; that Will Atkins was dead; that five of theSpaniards were come away; and though they had not been muchmolested by the savages, yet they had had some skirmishes withthem; and that they begged of him to write to me to think of thepromise I had made to fetch them away, that they might see theircountry again before they died.

　　The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoeby Daniel Defoe

se fivemen who were now lost were of those who went on shore to themassacre of Madagascar, so I always called it, though our men couldnot bear to hear the word MASSACRE with any patience.