Nǎ y mst nǒ Msz. Vīl wz a meidn jntl-wmn v abt ʈrti yirz v ej, n fr sm yirz past hd bn trubld wɖ fits, ẃć wr psivd cmñ on hr bî hr gwñ of fṛm hr discors vri abrupli t sm imprtinns. Ś wz mntend bî an onli bruɖr, n cept hiz hǎs in Dovr. Ś wz a vri pays wmn, n hr bruɖr a vri sobr man t ol apiṛns; bt nǎ h dz ol h cn t nul n qoś ɖ stori. Msz. Vīl wz intiṃtli aqentd wɖ Msz. Bargrev fṛm hr ćîldhd. Msz. Vīl’z srcmstansz wr ɖen mīn; hr faɖr dd nt tec cer v hiz ćildṛn az h òt, so ɖt ɖe wr xpozd t hardśps. N Msz. Bargrev in ɖoz dez hd az uncînd a faɖr, ɖo ś wontd nɖr fr fūd nor cloɖñ; ẃl Msz. Vīl wontd fr bʈ, insomuch ɖt ś wd ofn se, “Msz. Bargrev, y r nt onli ɖ bst, bt ɖ onli frend I hv in ɖ wrld; n no srcmstans v lîf śl evr dzolv mî frendśp.” Ɖe wd ofn cndol ć uɖr’z advrs fortynz, n rīd tgɖr Drelincourt upn Deʈ, n uɖr gd bcs; n so, lîc tū Crisćn frendz, ɖe cumf̣td ć uɖr undr ɖer soro.

Sm tîm aftr, Mr. Vīl’z frendz got him a ples in ɖ custmhǎs at Dovr, ẃć oceźnd Msz. Vīl, bî litl n litl, t fōl of fṛm hr intiṃsi wɖ Msz. Bargrev, ɖo ɖr wz nvr eni sć ʈñ az a qoṛl; bt an indifṛnsi cem on bî dgriz, tl at last Msz. Bargrev hd nt sìn hr in tū yirz n a haf, ɖo abv a twelvmunʈ v ɖ tîm Msz. Bargrev haʈ bn absnt fṛm Dovr, n ɖs last haf-yir hz bn in Canṭbri abt tū munʈs v ɖ tîm, dwelñ in a hǎs v hr ǒn.

In ɖs hǎs, on ɖ etʈ v Sptmbr, wn ʈǎznd sevn hundṛd n fîv, ś wz sitñ alon in ɖ fōrnūn, ʈncñ ovr hr unforćṇt lîf, n argywñ hrslf intu a dy reẓgneśn t Providns, ɖo hr cndiśn sīmd hard: “N,” sd ś, “I hv bn pṛvîdd fr hiɖrtu, n dǎt nt bt I śl b stl, n am wel saṭsfaid ɖt mî aflix́nz śl end ẃn it z most fit fr m.” N ɖen tc p hr sowñ wrc, ẃć ś hd no snr dn bt ś hírz a nocñ at ɖ dor; ś wnt t si hu wz ɖr, n ɖs pruvd t b Msz. Vīl, hr old frend, hu wz in a rîdñhabit. At ɖt momnt v tîm ɖ cloc struc twelv at nūn.

“Madm,” sz Msz. Bargrev, “I am s’prîzd t si y, y hv bn so loñ a strenjr”; bt tld hr ś wz glad t si hr, n ofrd t s’lūt hr, ẃć Msz. Vīl cmplaid wɖ, tl ɖer lips almost tućt, n ɖen Msz. Vīl drù hr hand acrs hr ǒn îz, n sd, “I am nt vri wel,” n so weivd it. Ś tld Msz. Bargrev ś wz gwñ a jrni, n hd a gret mînd t si hr frst. “Bt,” sz Msz. Bargrev, “hǎ cn y tec a jrni alon? I am amezd at it, because I nǒ y hv a fond bruɖr.” “Ǒ,” sz Msz. Vīl, “I gave mî bruɖr ɖ slip, n cem awe, bcz I hd so gret a dzîr t si y bfr I tc mî jrni.” So Msz. Bargrev wnt in wɖ hr intu anɖr rūm wɖn ɖ frst, n Msz. Vīl sat hr dǎn in an elboćer, in ẃć Msz. Bargrev wz sitñ ẃn ś hŕd Msz. Vīl noc. “Ɖen,” sz Msz. Vīl, “mî dir frend, I am cm t rny ǎr old frendśp agn, n beg yr pardn fr mî brīć v it; n f y cn fgiv m, y r ɖ bst v wimin.” “Ǒ,” sz Msz. Bargrev, “d nt mnśn sć a ʈñ; I hv nt hd an unīzi ʈt abt it.” “Ẃt dd y ʈnc v m?” sz Msz. Vīl. Sz Msz. Bargrev, “I ʈt y wr lîc ɖ rest v ɖ wrld, n ɖt pṛspeṛti hd md y fget yrslf n m.” Ɖen Msz. Vīl rmîndd Msz. Bargrev v ɖ mni frendli of̣sz ś dd hr in formr dez, n mć v ɖ convseśn ɖe hd wɖ ć uɖr in ɖ tîmz v ɖer advrṣti; ẃt bcs ɖe réd, n ẃt cumf̣t in ptiklr ɖe rsivd fṛm Drelincourt’s “Bc v Deʈ,” ẃć wz ɖ bst, ś sd, on ɖ subjict evr rout. Ś olso mnśnd Doctr Śrloc, n tū Duć bcs, ẃć wr trnzletd, rout upn deʈ, n sevṛl uɖrz. Bt Drelincourt, ś sd, hd ɖ clirist nośnz v deʈ n v ɖ fyćr stet v eni hu hd handld ɖt subjict. Ɖen ś asct Msz. Bargrev ẃɖr ś hd Drelincourt. Ś sd, “Yes.” Sz Msz. Vīl, “Feć it.” N so Msz. Bargrev gz p-sterz n brñz it dǎn. Sz Msz. Vīl, “Dir Msz. Bargrev, f ɖ îz v ǎr feʈ wr az opn az ɖ îz v ǎr bodi, w śd si numbrz v enjlz abt us fr ǎr gard. Ɖ nośnz w hv v Hevn nǎ r nʈñ lîc ẃt it z, az Drelincourt sz; ɖrfr b cumf̣td undr yr aflix́nz, n b’liv ɖt ɖ Olmîti hz a ptiklr rgard t y, n ɖt yr aflix́nz r marcs v God’z fevr; n ẃn ɖe hv dn ɖ biznis ɖe r snt fr, ɖe śl b rmuvd fṛm y. N b’liv m, mî dir frend, b’liv ẃt I se t y, wn minit v fyćr hapinis wl infiṇtli rword y fr ol yr suf̣rñz. Fr I cn nvr b’liv” (n claps hr hand upn hr ni wɖ gret rṇstnis, ẃć, indd, ran ʈru most v hr discors) “ɖt evr God wl sufr y t spend ol yr dez in ɖs aflictd stet. Bt b aśurd ɖt yr aflix́nz śl līv y, or y ɖm, in a śort tîm.” Ś speic in ɖt pʈeticl n hevnli manr ɖt Msz. Bargrev wept sevṛl tîmz, ś wz so dīpli afctd wɖ it.

Ɖen Msz. Vīl mnśnd Doctr Cndric’s Asetic, at ɖ end v ẃć h gvz an acǎnt v ɖ livz v ɖ priṃtiv Crisćnz. Ɖer patn ś rec̣mndd t ǎr iṃteśn, n sd, “Ɖer convseśn wz nt lîc ɖs v ǎr ej. Fr nǎ,” sz ś, “ɖr z nʈñ bt ven, froʈi discors, ẃć z far difṛnt fṛm ɖerz. Ɖerz wz t edif̣ceśn, n t bild wn anɖr p in feʈ, so ɖt ɖe wr nt az w r, nor r w az ɖe wr. Bt,” sd ś, “w òt t d az ɖe dd; ɖr wz a harti frendśp amñ ɖm; bt ẃr z it nǎ t b faund?” Sz Msz. Bargrev, “It z hard indd t fînd a tru frend in ɖz dez.” Sz Msz. Vīl, “Mr. Noris hz a fîn copi v vrsz, cōld Frendśp in Pfx́n, ẃć I wundrf̣li admîr. Hv y sìn ɖ bc?” sz Msz. Vīl. “No,” sz Msz. Bargrev, “bt I hv ɖ vrsz v mî ǒn raitñ ǎt.” “Hv y?” sz Msz. Vīl; “ɖen feć ɖm”; ẃć ś dd fṛm abv sterz, n ofrd ɖm t Msz. Vīl t rīd, hu rfyzd, n weivd ɖ ʈñ, seyñ, “holdñ dǎn hr hed wd m it ec”; n ɖen dzîrñ Msz. Bargrev t rīd ɖm t hr, ẃć ś dd. Az ɖe wr admîrñ Frendśp, Msz. Vīl sd, “Dir Msz. Bargrev, I śl luv y fr evr.” In ɖz vrsz ɖr z twîs yzd ɖ wrd “Ilizịn.” “Ā!” sz Msz. Vīl, “ɖz powts hv sć nemz fr Hevn.” Ś wd ofn drw hr hand acrs hr ǒn îz, n se, “Msz. Bargrev, d nt y ʈnc I am mîṭli imperd bî mî fits?” “No,” sz Msz. Bargrev; “I ʈnc y lc az wel az evr I ń y.”

Aftr ɖs discors, ẃć ɖ aṗriśn pt in mć fînr wrdz ɖn Msz. Bargrev sd ś cd pritnd t, n az mć mor ɖn ś cn rmembr—fr it canot b ʈt ɖt an aur n ʈri qortrz’ convseśn cd ol b rtend, ɖo ɖ mn v it ś ʈncs ś dz—ś sd t Msz. Bargrev ś wd hv hr rait a letr t hr bruɖr, n tel him ś wd hv him gv rñz t sć n sć; n ɖt ɖr wz a prs v gold in hr cabiṇt, n ɖt ś wd hv tū brōd pìsz gvn t hr cuzn Wotsn.

Tōcñ at ɖs ret, Msz. Bargrev ʈt ɖt a fit wz cmñ upn hr, n so plest hrslf on a ćer jst bfr hr niz, t cīp hr fṛm fōlñ t ɖ grǎnd, f hr fits śd oceźn it; fr ɖ elboćer, ś ʈt, wd cīp hr fṛm fōlñ on îɖr sîd. N t dvrt Msz. Vīl, az ś ʈt, tc hold v hr gǎnslīv sevṛl tîmz, n cmndd it. Msz. Vīl tld hr it wz a scǎrd silc, n nyli md p. Bt, fr ol ɖs, Msz. Vīl psistd in hr rqst, n tld Msz. Bargrev ś mst nt dnî hr. N ś wd hv hr tel hr bruɖr ol ɖer convseśn ẃn ś hd ɖ oṗtyṇti. “Dir Msz. Vīl,” sz Msz. Bargrev, “ɖs sīmz so imprtinnt ɖt I canot tel hǎ t cmplî wɖ it; n ẃt a morṭfayñ stori wl ǎr convseśn b t a yuñ jntlmn. Ẃ,” sz Msz. Bargrev, “it z mć betr, mīʈncs, t d it yrslf.” “No,” sz Msz. Vīl; “ɖo it sīmz imprtinnt t y nǎ, y wl si mor rīznz fr it hiraftr.” Msz. Bargrev, ɖen, t saṭsfî hr imṗtyṇti, wz gwñ t feć a pén n ñc, bt Msz. Vīl sd, “Let it alon nǎ, bt d it ẃn I am gn; bt y mst b śr t d it”; ẃć wz wn v ɖ last ʈñz ś injônd hr at partñ, n so ś promist hr.

Ɖen Msz. Vīl asct fr Msz. Bargrev’z dōtr. Ś sd ś wz nt at hom. “Bt f y hv a mînd t si hr,” sz Msz. Bargrev, “I’l snd fr hr.” “D,” sz Msz. Vīl; on ẃć ś left hr, n wnt t a nebr’z t si hr; n bî ɖ tîm Msz. Bargrev wz rtrnñ, Msz. Vīl wz got wɖt ɖ dor in ɖ strīt, in ɖ fes v ɖ bīstmarcit, on a Saṭde (ẃć z marcitde), n std redi t part az sn az Msz. Bargrev cem t hr. Ś asct hr ẃ ś wz in sć hest. Ś sd ś mst b gwñ, ɖo phps ś mt nt go hr jrni tl Munde; n tld Msz. Bargrev ś hopt ś śd si hr agn at hr cuzn Wotsn’z bfr ś wnt ẃiɖr ś wz gwñ. Ɖen ś sd ś wd tec hr līv v hr, n wōct fṛm Msz. Bargrev, in hr vy, tl a trnñ inṭruptd ɖ sît v hr, ẃć wz ʈri-qortrz aftr wn in ɖ afṭnun.

Msz. Vīl daid ɖ sevnʈ v Sptmbr, at twelv o’cloc at nūn, v hr fits, n hd nt abv for aurz’ snsz bfr hr deʈ, in ẃć tîm ś rsivd ɖ sacṛmnt. Ɖ nxt de aftr Msz. Vīl’z apiṛns, biyñ Súnde, Msz. Bargrev wz mîṭli indispozd wɖ a cold n sor ʈrot, ɖt ś cd nt go ǎt ɖt de; bt on Munde mornñ ś sndz a prsn t Captin Wotsn’z t nǒ f Msz. Vīl wz ɖr. Ɖe wundrd at Msz. Bargrev’z inqîri, n snt hr wrd ś wz nt ɖr, nor wz xpctd. At ɖs ansr, Msz. Bargrev tld ɖ meid ś hd srtnli mstŭc ɖ nem or md sm blundr. N ɖo ś wz il, ś pt on hr hŭd n wnt hrslf t Captin Wotsn’z, ɖo ś ń nn v ɖ faṃli, t si f Msz. Vīl wz ɖr or nt. Ɖe sd ɖe wundrd at hr ascñ, fr ɖt ś hd nt bn in tǎn; ɖe wr śr, f ś hd, ś wd hv bn ɖr. Sz Msz. Bargrev, “I am śr ś wz wɖ m on Saṭde almost tū aurz.” Ɖe sd it wz imposbl, fr ɖe mst hv sìn hr f ś hd. In cmz Captin Wotsn, ẃl ɖe wr in dspyt, n sd ɖt Msz. Vīl wz srtnli ded, n ɖ iscućnz wr mcñ. Ɖs strenjli s’prîzd Msz. Bargrev, ẃn ś snt t ɖ prsn imīɉtli hu hd ɖ cer v ɖm, n faund it tru. Ɖen ś rletd ɖ hol stori t Captin Wotsn’z faṃli; n ẃt gǎn ś hd on, n hǎ strîpt; n ɖt Msz. Vīl tld hr ɖt it wz scǎrd. Ɖen Msz. Wotsn craid ǎt, “Y hv sìn hr indd, fr nn ń bt Msz. Vīl n mslf ɖt ɖ gǎn wz scǎrd.” N Msz. Wotsn ǒnd ɖt ś dscrîbd ɖ gǎn xacli; “fr,” sd ś, “I hlpt hr t mc it p.” Ɖs Msz. Wotsn blezd ol abt ɖ tǎn, n avǎćt ɖ demnstreśn v truʈ v Msz. Bargrev’z siyñ Msz. Vīl’z aṗriśn. N Captin Wotsn carid tū jntlṃn imīɉtli t Msz. Bargrev’z hǎs t hír ɖ rleśn fṛm hr ǒn mǎʈ. N ẃn it spred so fast ɖt jntlṃn n prsnz v qoḷti, ɖ jdiśs n scepticl part v ɖ wrld, floct in upn hr, it at last bcem sć a tasc ɖt ś wz forst t go ǎt v ɖ we; fr ɖe wr in jenṛl xtrimli saṭsfaid v ɖ truʈ v ɖ ʈñ, n plenli sw ɖt Msz. Bargrev wz no hîṗcondriac, fr ś olwez apirz wɖ sć a ćirfl er n plizñ mȉn ɖt ś hz gend ɖ fevr n istim v ol ɖ jntri, n it z ʈt a gret fevr f ɖe cn bt get ɖ rleśn fṛm hr ǒn mǎʈ. I śd hv tld y bfr ɖt Msz. Vīl tld Msz. Bargrev ɖt hr sistr n bruɖr-in-lw wr jst cm dǎn fṛm Lundn t si hr. Sz Msz. Bargrev, “Hǎ cem y t ordr matrz so strenjli?” “It cd nt b hlpt,” sd Msz. Vīl. N hr bruɖr n sistr dd cm t si hr, n entrd ɖ tǎn v Dovr jst az Msz. Vīl wz xpîrñ. Msz. Bargrev asct hr ẃɖr ś wd drinc sm ti. Sz Msz. Vīl, “I d nt cer f I d; bt I’l woṛnt y ɖs mad felo”—mīnñ Msz. Bargrev’z huzbnd—“hz brouc ol yr trincits.” “Bt,” sz Msz. Bargrev, “I’l get smʈñ t drinc in fr ol ɖt”; bt Msz. Vīl weivd it, n sd, “It z no matr; let it alon”; n so it pást.

Ol ɖ tîm I sat wɖ Msz. Bargrev, ẃć wz sm aurz, ś rec̣lectd freś seyñz v Msz. Vīl. N wn mtirịl ʈñ mor ś tld Msz. Bargrev, ɖt old Mr. Bretn alaud Msz. Vīl ten pǎndz a yir, ẃć wz a sīcrit, n uņoun t Msz. Bargrev tl Msz. Vīl tld hr.

Msz. Bargrev nvr vẹriz in hr stori, ẃć puzlz ɖoz hu dǎt v ɖ truʈ, or r unwilñ t b’liv it. A srvnt in ɖ nebr’z yard ajônñ t Msz. Bargrev’z hǎs hŕd hr tōcñ t smbdi an aur v ɖ tîm Msz. Vīl wz wɖ hr. Msz. Bargrev wnt ǎt t hr nxt nebr’z ɖ vri momnt ś partd wɖ Msz. Vīl, n tld hr ẃt raṿśñ convseśn ś hd hd wɖ an old frend, n tld ɖ hol v it. Drelincourt’s “Bc v Deʈ” z, sins ɖs hapnd, bòt p strenjli. N it z t b obzrvd ɖt, ntwɖstandñ ol ɖ trubl n ftīg Msz. Bargrev hz unḍgn upn ɖs acǎnt, ś nvr tc ɖ valy v a farɖñ, nor sufrd hr dōtr t tec enʈñ v enbdi, n ɖrfr cn hv no inṭrest in telñ ɖ stori.

Bt Mr. Vīl dz ẃt h cn t stîfl ɖ matr, n sd h wd si Msz. Bargrev; bt yt it z srtn matr v fact ɖt h hz bn at Captin Wotsn’z sins ɖ deʈ v hiz sistr, n yt nvr wnt nir Msz. Bargrev; n sm v hiz frendz rport hr t b a layr, n ɖt ś ń v Mr. Bretn’z ten pǎndz a yir. Bt ɖ prsn hu pritndz t se so hz ɖ repyteśn t b a ntorịs layr amñ prsnz hūm I nǒ t b v undǎtd credit. Nǎ, Mr. Vīl z mor v a jntlmn ɖn t se ś lîz, bt sz a bad huzbnd hz crezd hr; bt ś nīdz onli priznt hrslf, n it wl ifcć̣li cnfyt ɖt pritns. Mr. Vīl sz h asct hiz sistr on hr deʈbed ẃɖr ś hd a mînd t dspoz v enʈñ. N ś sd no. Nǎ ɖ ʈñz ẃć Msz. Vīl’z aṗriśn wd hv dspozd v wr so trîf̣lñ, n nʈñ v justis emd at in ɖ dspozl, ɖt ɖ dzîn v it apirz t m t b onli in ordr t mc Msz. Bargrev saṭsfî ɖ wrld v ɖ riaḷti ɖr-ov az t ẃt ś hd sìn n hŕd, n t s’kr hr repyteśn amñ ɖ rīzṇbl n unḍstandñ part v man-cnd. N ɖen, agn, Mr. Vīl ǒnz ɖt ɖr wz a prs v gold; bt it wz nt faund in hr cabiṇt, bt in a combox. Ɖs lcs improbbl; fr ɖt Msz. Wotsn ǒnd ɖt Msz. Vīl wz so vri cerfl v ɖ ci v hr cabiṇt ɖt ś wd trust nbdi wɖ it; n f so, no dǎt ś wd nt trust hr gold ǎt v it. N Msz. Vīl’z ofn drw̃ hr handz ovr hr îz, n ascñ Msz. Bargrev ẃɖr hr fits hd nt imperd hr, lcs t m az f ś dd it on prṗs t rmînd Msz. Bargrev v hr fits, t priper hr nt t ʈnc it strenj ɖt ś śd pt hr upn raitñ t hr bruɖr, t dspoz v rñz n gold, ẃć lc so mć lîc a dayñ prsn’z rqst; n it tc acordñli wɖ Msz. Bargrev az ɖ ifct v hr fits cmñ upn hr, n wz wn v ɖ mni instnsz v hr wundrfl luv t hr n cer v hr, ɖt ś śd nt b afrîtd, ẃć, indd, apirz in hr hol manijmnt, ptiklrli in hr cmñ t hr in ɖ dêtîm, weivñ ɖ sałteśn, n ẃn ś wz alon; n ɖen ɖ manr v hr partñ, t privnt a secnd atmt t s’lūt hr.

Nǎ, ẃ Mr. Vīl śd ʈnc ɖs rleśn a rflex́n—az it z plen h dz, bî hiz indeṿrñ t stîfl it—I canot imajin; bcz ɖ jeṇraḷti b’liv hr t b a gd spirit, hr discors wz so hevnli. Hr tū gret eṛndz wr, t cumf̣t Msz. Bargrev in hr aflix́n, n t asc hr fgivnis fr hr brīć v frendśp, n wɖ a pays discors t incurij hr. So ɖt, aftr ol, t s’poz ɖt Msz. Bargrev cd hać sć an invnśn az ɖs, fṛm Frîde nūn t Saṭde nūn—s’pozñ ɖt ś ń v Msz. Vīl’z deʈ ɖ vri frst momnt—wɖt jumblñ srcmstansz, n wɖt eni inṭrest, tù, ś mst b mor witi, forćṇt, n wicid, tù, ɖn eni indifṛnt prsn, I der se, wl alǎ. I asct Msz. Bargrev sevṛl tîmz f ś wz śr ś flt ɖ gǎn. Ś ansrd, moḍstli, “F mî snsz b t b rlaid on, I am śr v it.” I asct hr f ś hŕd a sǎnd ẃn ś clapt hr hand upn hr ni. Ś sd ś dd nt rmembr ś dd, bt sd ś apird t b az mć a substns az I dd hu tōct wɖ hr. “N I me,” sd ś, “b az sn pswedd ɖt yr aṗriśn z tōcñ t m nǎ az ɖt I dd nt riyli si hr; fr I wz undr no manr v fir, n rsivd hr az a frend, n partd wɖ hr az sć. I wd nt,” sz ś, “gv wn farɖñ t mc eni wn b’liv it; I hv no inṭrest in it; nʈñ bt trubl z inteild upn m fr a loñ tîm, fr ōt I nǒ; n, hd it nt cm t lît bî axidnt, it wd nvr hv bn md public.” Bt nǎ ś sz ś wl mc hr ǒn prîṿt ys v it, n cīp hrslf ǎt v ɖ we az mć az ś cn; n so ś hz dn sins. Ś sz ś hd a jntlmn hu cem ʈrti mîlz t hr t hír ɖ rleśn; n ɖt ś hd tld it t a rūmfl v ppl at ɖ tîm. Sevṛl ptiklr jntlṃn hv hd ɖ stori fṛm Msz. Bargrev’z ǒn mǎʈ.

Ɖs ʈñ hz vri mć afctd m, n I am az wel saṭsfaid az I am v ɖ bst-grǎndd matr v fact. N ẃ w śd dspyt matr v fact, bcz w canot solv ʈñz v ẃć w cn hv no srtn or dmonstṛtiv nośnz, sīmz strenj t m; Msz. Bargrev’z oʈoṛti n snseṛti alon wd hv bn undǎtd in eni uɖr ces.