Roxana by Daniel Defoe

Author:Daniel Defoe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 1982-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

I made light of it, and told him, that as he knew I had chosen a retir’d Life, it was of no Value to me to be call’d LADY, or COUNTESS either; but that if he intended to drag me, as I might call it, into the World again, perhaps it might be agreeable to him; but, besides that, I cou’d not judge of the thing, because I did not understand how either of them was to be done.

He told me, that Money purchas’d Titles of Honour in almost all Parts of the World; tho’ Money cou’d not give Principles of Honour, they must come by Birth and Blood; that however, Titles sometimes assist to elevate the Soul, and to infuse generous Principles into the Mind, and especially, where there was a good Foundation laid in the Persons; that he hop’d we shou’d neither of us misbehave, if we came to it; and that as we knew how to wear a Title without undue Elevations, so it might sit as well upon us, as on another; that as to England, he had nothing to do, but to get an Act of Naturalization in his Favour, and he knew where to purchase a Patent for BARONET,267 that is to say, to have the Honour and Title transferr’d to him; but if I intended to go Abroad with him, he had a Nephew, the Son of his Elder Brother, who had the Title of COUNT, with the Estate annex’d,268 which was but small; and that he had frequently offer’d to make it over to him for a thousand Pistoles, which was not a great-deal of Money; and considering it was in the Family already, he wou’d, upon my being willing, purchase it immediately.

I told him, I lik’d the last best; but then, I wou’d not let him buy it, unless he wou’d let me pay the thousand Pistoles: No, No, says he, I refus’d a thousand Pistoles that I had more Right to have accepted, than that, and you shall not be at so much Expence now: Yes, says I, you did refuse it, and perhaps, repented it afterwards: I never complain’d, says he; but I did, says I, and often repented it for you: I do not understand you, says he: Why, says I, I repented that I suffer’d you to refuse it: Well, well, said he, we may talk of that hereafter, when you shall resolve which Part of the World you will make your settl’d Residence in: Here he talk’d very handsomely to me, and for a good-while together; how it had been his Lot to live all his Days out of his Native Country, and to be often shifting and changing the Situation of his Affairs; and that I myself had not always had a fix’d Abode; but that now, as neither of us was very Young, he fancy’d I wou’d be for taking-up our Abode, where, if possible, we might remove no more; that as to his

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