I am olrdi far norʈ v Lundn, n az I wōc in ɖ strīts v Pīṭzbrg, I fīl a cold norɖn brīz ple upn mî ćīcs, ẃć bresz mî nrvz n filz m wɖ dlît. D y unḍstand ɖs fīlñ? Ɖs brīz, ẃć hz travld fṛm ɖ rījnz twdz ẃć I am advansñ, gvz m a fōrtest v ɖoz îsi clîmz. Inspiṛtd bî ɖs wind v promis, mî dêdrīmz bcm mor frvnt n vivid. I trî in ven t b pswedd ɖt ɖ pol z ɖ sīt v frost n deẓleśn; it evr priznts itslf t mî imaɉneśn az ɖ rījn v byti n dlît. Ɖr, Marġrit, ɖ sún z fr evr viẓbl, its brōd disc jst scrtñ ɖ hrîzn n dfyzñ a ppećl splendr. Ɖr—fr wɖ yr līv, mî sistr, I wl pt sm trust in prisidñ naṿgetrz—ɖr sno n frost r baniśt; n, sêlñ ovr a cām sì, w me b woftd t a land s’pasñ in wundrz n in byti evri rījn hiɖrtu dscuvrd on ɖ habitbl glob. Its pṛduẋnz n fīćrz me b wɖt xampl, az ɖ fnoṃna v ɖ hevnli bodiz undǎtidli r in ɖoz undiscuvrd soḷtydz. Ẃt me nt b xpctd in a cuntri v itrnl lît? I me ɖr dscuvr ɖ wundṛs pǎr ẃć atracts ɖ nīdl n me reğlet a ʈǎznd s’lesćl obẓveśnz ɖt rqîr onli ɖs vôij t rendr ɖer sīmñ xntriṣtiz cnsistnt fr evr. I śl seśiet mî ardnt krioṣti wɖ ɖ sît v a part v ɖ wrld nvr bfr viẓtd, n me tréd a land nvr bfr imprintd bî ɖ ft v man. Ɖz r mî intîsmnts, n ɖe r sfiśnt t concr ol fir v denjr or deʈ n t indys m t cmns ɖs l’borịs vôij wɖ ɖ jô a ćîld fīlz ẃn h imbarcs in a litl bot, wɖ hiz hoḷde mêts, on an xpdiśn v dscuṿri p hiz netiv rivr. Bt s’pozñ ol ɖz cnjcćrz t b fōls, y canot cntst ɖ inestiṃbl beṇfit ẃć I śl cnfŕ on ol man-cnd, t ɖ last jeṇreśn, bî dscuṿrñ a pasij nir ɖ pol t ɖoz cuntriz, t rīć ẃć at preznt so mni munʈs r reqzit; or bî aṣtenñ ɖ sīcrit v ɖ magnit, ẃć, f at ol poṣbl, cn onli b ifctd bî an unḍtecñ sć az mîn.

Ɖz rfleẋnz hv dspeld ɖ ajteśn wɖ ẃć I bgan mî letr, n I fīl mî hart glo wɖ an inʈyziazm ẃć eḷvets m t hevn, fr nʈñ cntribyts so mć t tranqlîz ɖ mînd az a stedi prṗs—a pônt on ẃć ɖ soul me fix its inṭlecćl î. Ɖs xpdiśn hz bn ɖ feṿrit drīm v mî rli yirz. I hv réd wɖ ardr ɖ acǎnts v ɖ verịs voyjz ẃć hv bn md in ɖ prospect v arîvñ at ɖ Norʈ Psific Ośn ʈru ɖ sìz ẃć srǎnd ɖ pol. Y me rmembr ɖt a hisṭri v ol ɖ voyjz md fr prṗsz v dscuṿri cmpozd ɖ hol v ǎr gd Uncl Toṃs’ lîbrri. Mî edyceśn wz nglectd, yt I wz paśṇtli fond v rīdñ. Ɖz volymz wr mî studi de n nît, n mî fmiliaṛti wɖ ɖm incrist ɖt rgret ẃć I hd flt, az a ćîld, on lrnñ ɖt mî faɖr’z dayñ injuñśn hd fbidn mî uncl t alǎ m t imbarc in a sìfẹrñlîf.

Ɖz viźnz fedd ẃn I p’ruzd, fr ɖ frst tîm, ɖoz powts huz ifyźnz intranst mî soul n liftd it t hevn. I olso bcem a powt n fr wn yir livd in a paṛdîs v mî ǒn crieśn; I imajind ɖt I olso mt obten a nīś in ɖ templ ẃr ɖ nemz v Homr n Śecspir r conṣcretd. Y r wel aqentd wɖ mî fełr n hǎ heṿli I bòr ɖ dis’pôntmnt. Bt jst at ɖt tîm I inheṛtd ɖ fortyn v mî cuzn, n mî ʈts wr trnd intu ɖ ćanl v ɖer rlịr bnt.

Six yirz hv pást sins I rzolvd on mî preznt unḍtecñ. I cn, īvn nǎ, rmembr ɖ aur fṛm ẃć I dedcetd mslf t ɖs gret enṭprîz. I cmnst bî inyrñ mî bodi t hardśp. I acumṗnid ɖ ẃelfiśrz on sevṛl xṗdiśnz t ɖ Norʈ Sì; I voḷntṛli indyrd cold, famin, ʈrst, n wont v slīp; I ofn wrct hardr ɖn ɖ comn sêlrz jrñ ɖ de n dvotd mî nîts t ɖ studi v maʈ̇matics, ɖ ʈiyri v meḍsin, n ɖoz branćz v fizicl sayns fṛm ẃć a nevl advnćrr mt d’rîv ɖ gretist practicl advantij. Twîs I acć̣li hîrd mslf az an unḍmêt in a Grīnḷnd ẃelr, n aqitd mslf t adṃreśn. I mst ǒn I flt a litl prǎd ẃn mî captin ofrd m ɖ secnd digṇti in ɖ vesl n intritd m t rmen wɖ ɖ gretist rṇstnis, so vałbl dd h cnsidr mî srṿsz. N nǎ, dir Marġrit, d I nt dzrv t acumpliś sm gret prṗs? Mî lîf mt hv bn pást in īz n lux̣́ri, bt I prifŕd glori t evri intîsmnt ɖt wlʈ plest in mî paʈ. Ǒ, ɖt sm incuṛjñ vôs wd ansr in ɖ afrṃtiv! Mî curij n mî reẓluśn z frm; bt mî hops flucćuet, n mî spirits r ofn dprest. I am abt t pṛsid on a loñ n dificlt vôij, ɖ imrjnsiz v ẃć wl dmand ol mî forttyd: I am rqîrd nt onli t rêz ɖ spirits v uɖrz, bt smtmz t ssten mî ǒn, ẃn ɖerz r felñ.

Ɖs z ɖ most fevṛbl pirịd fr traṿlñ in Ruśa. Ɖe flî qcli ovr ɖ sno in ɖer slejz; ɖ mośn z pleznt, n, in mî opińn, far mor agriybl ɖn ɖt v an Ñgliś stejcoć. Ɖ cold z nt xesiv, f y r rápt in fŕz—a dres ẃć I hv olrdi adoptd, fr ɖr z a gret difṛns btwn wōcñ ɖ dec n rmenñ sītd mośnlis fr aurz, ẃn no x’sîz privnts ɖ blud fṛm acć̣li frizñ in yr veinz. I hv no ambiśn t lūz mî lîf on ɖ postrod btwn St. Pīṭzbrg n Arcenjl. I śl dpart fr ɖ latr tǎn in a fortnît or ʈri wīcs; n mî intnśn z t hîr a śip ɖr, ẃć cn īẓli b dn bî peyñ ɖ inśuṛns fr ɖ ǒnr, n t ingej az mni sêlrz az I ʈnc nesṣri amñ ɖoz hu r acustmd t ɖ ẃelfiśñ. I d nt intnd t sêl untl ɖ munʈ v Jūn; n ẃn śl I rtrn? Ā, dir sistr, hǎ cn I ansr ɖs qsćn? F I s’xid, mni, mni munʈs, phps yirz, wl pas bfr y n I me mīt. F I fel, y wl si m agn sn, or nvr. Férwel, mî dir, xḷnt Marġrit. Hevn śǎr dǎn blesñz on y, n sev m, ɖt I me agn n agn tsṭfî mî grattyd fr ol yr luv n cîndnis.

Yr afẋṇt bruɖr, R. Wōltn

Bt I hv wn wont ẃć I hv nvr yt bn ebl t saṭsfî, n ɖ absns v ɖ objict v ẃć I nǎ fīl az a most svir īvl, I hv no frend, Marġrit: ẃn I am glowñ wɖ ɖ inʈyziazm v s’xes, ɖr wl b nn t ptiṣpet mî jô; f I am aseld bî dis’pôntmnt, nwn wl indevr t ssten m in djẋn. I śl cmit mî ʈts t pepr, it z tru; bt ɖt z a pur mīdịm fr ɖ cḿṇceśn v fīlñ. I dzîr ɖ cumṗni v a man hu cd simṗʈîz wɖ m, huz îz wd rplî t mîn. Y me dīm m r’mantic, mî dir sistr, bt I bitrli fīl ɖ wont v a frend. I hv nwn nir m, jntl yt c’rejs, pzest v a cultvetd az wel az v a cpeśs mînd, huz tests r lîc mî ǒn, t apruv or amnd mî planz. Hǎ wd sć a frend rper ɖ fōlts v yr pur bruɖr! I am tù ardnt in x’kśn n tù impeśnt v dificltiz. Bt it z a stl gretr īvl t m ɖt I am slf-edycetd: fr ɖ frst fortīn yirz v mî lîf I ran wîld on a comn n réd nʈñ bt ǎr Uncl Toṃs’ bcs v voyjz. At ɖt ej I bcem aqentd wɖ ɖ seḷbretd powts v ǎr ǒn cuntri; bt it wz onli ẃn it hd sīst t b in mî pǎr t d’rîv its most importnt beṇfits fṛm sć a cnviẋn ɖt I psivd ɖ nseṣti v bcmñ aqentd wɖ mor lanḡjz ɖn ɖt v mî netiv cuntri. Nǎ I am twenti-et n am in riaḷti mor ilitṛt ɖn mni scūlbôz v fiftīn. It z tru ɖt I hv ʈt mor n ɖt mî dêdrīmz r mor xtndd n mgnifisnt, bt ɖe wont (az ɖ pentrz cōl it) CĪPÑ; n I gretli nīd a frend hu wd hv sns inuf nt t dspîz m az r’mantic, n afẋn inuf fr m t indevr t reğlet mî mînd. Wel, ɖz r yslis cmplents; I śl srtnli fînd no frend on ɖ wîd ośn, nr īvn hir in Arcenjl, amñ mrćnts n sìṃn. Yt sm fīlñz, un’laid t ɖ dros v hymn nećr, bìt īvn in ɖz rugid bzmz. Mî leftennt, fr instns, z a man v wundrfl curij n enṭprîz; h z madli dzîṛs v glori, or rɖr, t wrd mî frêz mor caṛcṭristicli, v advansmnt in hiz pṛfeśn. H z an Ñgliśmn, n in ɖ mdst v naṣ́nl n pṛfeśnl preɉdisz, unsofnd bî cultveśn, rtenz sm v ɖ noblist indǎmnts v hymaṇti. I frst bcem aqentd wɖ him on bōrd a ẃelvesl; fîndñ ɖt h wz unimploid in ɖs siti, I īẓli ingejd him t asist in mî enṭprîz. Ɖ mastr z a prsn v an xḷnt disṗziśn n z rmarcbl in ɖ śip fr hiz jntlnis n ɖ mîldnis v hiz diṣplin. Ɖs srcmstans, add t hiz wel-noun integṛti n dōntlis curij, md m vri dzîṛs t ingej him. A yʈ pást in soḷtyd, mî bst yirz spent undr yr jntl n feṃnin fosṭrij, hz so rfînd ɖ grǎndwrc v mî caṛctr ɖt I canot oṿcm an intns dstest t ɖ yźl brūtaḷti x’sîzd on bōrd śip: I hv nvr b’livd it t b nesṣri, n ẃn I hŕd v a marinr īqli notd fr hiz cîndlinis v hart n ɖ rspct n obīdịns peid t him bî hiz cru, I flt mslf pkłrli forćṇt in biyñ ebl t s’kr hiz srṿsz. I hŕd v him frst in rɖr a r’mantic manr, fṛm a ledi hu oz t him ɖ hapinis v hr lîf. Ɖs, brīfli, z hiz stori. Sm yirz ago h luvd a yuñ Ruśn ledi v modṛt fortyn, n hvñ amast a cnsidṛbl sum in prîzmuni, ɖ faɖr v ɖ grl cnsntd t ɖ mać. H sw hiz mistris wns bfr ɖ destind seriṃni; bt ś wz beɖd in tirz, n ʈrowñ hrslf at hiz fīt, intritd him t sper hr, cnfesñ at ɖ sem tîm ɖt ś luvd anɖr, bt ɖt h wz pur, n ɖt hr faɖr wd nvr cnsnt t ɖ yńn. Mî jenṛs frend ri’śurd ɖ suplịnt, n on biyñ informd v ɖ nem v hr luvr, instntli abandnd hiz psyt. H hd olrdi bòt a farm wɖ hiz muni, on ẃć h hd dzînd t pas ɖ rmendr v hiz lîf; bt h bstoud ɖ hol on hiz rîvl, tgɖr wɖ ɖ rmenz v hiz prîzmuni t prćs stoc, n ɖen himslf s’liṣtd ɖ yuñ wmn’z faɖr t cnsnt t hr marij wɖ hr luvr. Bt ɖ old man dsîdidli rfyzd, ʈncñ himslf baund in onr t mî frend, hu, ẃn h faund ɖ faɖr inexṛbl, qitd hiz cuntri, nr rtrnd untl h hŕd ɖt hiz formr mistris wz marid acordñ t hr incḷneśnz. “Ẃt a nobl felo!” y wl xclem. H z so; bt ɖen h z hoļi unedycetd: h z az sîḷnt az a Trc, n a cnd v ignṛnt cerlisnis atndz him, ẃć, ẃl it rendrz hiz conduct ɖ mor astoṇśñ, dtracts fṛm ɖ inṭrest n simṗʈi ẃć uɖ̇wz h wd cmand.

Yt d nt s’poz, bcz I cmplen a litl or bcz I cn cnsiv a conṣleśn fr mî tôlz ẃć I me nvr nǒ, ɖt I am weṿrñ in mî reẓluśnz. Ɖoz r az fixt az fet, n mî vôij z onli nǎ dleid untl ɖ weɖr śl pmit mî imbarceśn. Ɖ wintr hz bn dredf̣li svir, bt ɖ sprñ proṃsz wel, n it z cnsidrd az a rmarcbli rli sīzn, so ɖt phps I me sêl snr ɖn I xpctd. I śl d nʈñ raśli: y nǒ m sfiśntli t cnfîd in mî prūdns n cnsidṛtnis ẃnvr ɖ sefti v uɖrz z cmitd t mî cer.

I canot dscrîb t y mî snseśnz on ɖ nir prospect v mî unḍtecñ. It z imposbl t cḿṇcet t y a cnspśn v ɖ tremḅlñ snseśn, haf pleźṛbl n haf firfl, wɖ ẃć I am pripẹrñ t dpart. I am gwñ t unixplord rījnz, t “ɖ land v mist n sno,” bt I śl cil no alḅtrós; ɖrfr d nt b alarmd fr mî sefti or f I śd cm bac t y az wòrn n wǒfl az ɖ “Enćnt Marinr.” Y wl smîl at mî aluźn, bt I wl dscloz a sīcrit. I hv ofn atribytd mî ataćmnt t, mî paśṇt inʈyziazm fr, ɖ denjṛs misṭriz v ośn t ɖt pṛduẋn v ɖ most imajiṇtiv v modn powts. Ɖr z smʈñ at wrc in mî soul ẃć I d nt unḍstand. I am practicli industrịs—penztecñ, a wrcmn t x’kt wɖ prsviṛns n lebr—bt bsdz ɖs ɖr z a luv fr ɖ marvḷs, a b’lif in ɖ marvḷs, inṭtwînd in ol mî projects, ẃć huriz m ǎt v ɖ comn paʈwez v men, īvn t ɖ wîld sì n unviẓtd rījnz I am abt t xplor. Bt t rtrn t dirr cnsiḍreśnz. Śl I mīt y agn, aftr hvñ tṛvrst imns sìz, n rtrnd bî ɖ most suɖn cep v Africa or America? I der nt xpct sć s’xes, yt I canot ber t lc on ɖ rvrs v ɖ picćr. Cntiny fr ɖ preznt t rait t m bî evri oṗtyṇti: I me rsiv yr letrz on sm oceźnz ẃn I nīd ɖm most t s’port mî spirits. I luv y vri tndrli. Rmembr m wɖ afẋn, śd y nvr hír fṛm m agn.

Yr afẋṇt bruɖr, Robt Wōltn

I rait a fy lînz in hest t se ɖt I am sef—n wel advanst on mî vôij. Ɖs letr wl rīć Ñgḷnd bî a mrćntmn nǎ on its homẉd vôij fṛm Arcenjl; mor forćṇt ɖn I, hu me nt si mî netiv land, phps, fr mni yirz. I am, hvr, in gd spirits: mî men r bold n apaṛntli frm v prṗs, nr d ɖ flotñ śīts v îs ɖt cntińli pas s, indcetñ ɖ denjrz v ɖ rījn twdz ẃć w r advansñ, apir t dsme ɖm. W hv olrdi rīćt a vri hî lattyd; bt it z ɖ hît v sumr, n olɖo nt so worm az in Ñgḷnd, ɖ suɖn gelz, ẃć blo s spīḍli twdz ɖoz śorz ẃć I so ardntli dzîr t aten, briɖ a dgri v reṇvetñ wormʈ ẃć I hd nt xpctd.

No insidnts hv hiɖrtu bfōḷn s ɖt wd mc a figr in a letr. Wn or tū stif gelz n ɖ sprññ v a līc r axidnts ẃć xpirịnst naṿgetrz scersli rmembr t rcord, n I śl b wel cntnt f nʈñ wrs hapn t s jrñ ǎr vôij.

Ady, mî dir Marġrit. B aśurd ɖt fr mî ǒn sec, az wel az yrz, I wl nt raśli incǎntr denjr. I wl b cūl, prṣvirñ, n prūdnt.

Bt s’xes ŚL crǎn mî indevrz. Ẃr-fr nt? Ɖus far I hv gn, tresñ a s’kr we ovr ɖ paʈlis sìz, ɖ vri starz ɖmslvz biyñ witṇsz n tstiṃniz v mî trîumf. Ẃ nt stl pṛsid ovr ɖ untemd yt obījnt elimnt? Ẃt cn stop ɖ dtrmind hart n rzolvd wil v man?

Mî swelñ hart invoḷntṛli porz itslf ǎt ɖus. Bt I mst finiś. Hevn bles mî b’luvid sistr!

R.W.

Last Munde (Jlî 31st) w wr nirli srǎndd bî îs, ẃć clozd in ɖ śip on ol sîdz, scersli līvñ hr ɖ sìrūm in ẃć ś flotd. Ǎr sićueśn wz smẃt denjṛs, ispeṣ́li az w wr cumṗst rnd bî a vri ʈic fog. W acordñli le t, hopñ ɖt sm ćenj wd tec ples in ɖ atṃsfir n weɖr.

Abt tū o’cloc ɖ mist clird awe, n w bheld, strećt ǎt in evri d’reẋn, vast n ireğlr plenz v îs, ẃć sīmd t hv no end. Sm v mî comredz grond, n mî ǒn mînd bgan t gro woćfl wɖ añśs ʈts, ẃn a strenj sît sudnli atractd ǎr atnśn n dvrtd ǎr s’liṣtyd fṛm ǎr ǒn sićueśn. W psivd a lo carij, fixt on a slej n drwn bî dogz, pas on twdz ɖ norʈ, at ɖ distns v haf a mîl; a biyñ ẃć hd ɖ śep v a man, bt apaṛntli v jîgantic staćr, sat in ɖ slej n gîdd ɖ dogz. W woćt ɖ rapid progres v ɖ travlr wɖ ǎr teḷscops untl h wz lost amñ ɖ distnt iniqoḷtiz v ɖ îs. Ɖs apiṛns xîtd ǎr unqoḷfaid wundr. W wr, az w b’livd, mni hundṛd mîlz fṛm eni land; bt ɖs aṗriśn sīmd t dnot ɖt it wz nt, in riaḷti, so distnt az w hd s’pozd. Śut in, hvr, bî îs, it wz imposbl t folo hiz trac, ẃć w hd obzrvd wɖ ɖ gretist atnśn. Abt tū aurz aftr ɖs ocuṛns w hŕd ɖ grǎndsì, n bfr nît ɖ îs brouc n frìd ǎr śip. W, hvr, le t untl ɖ mornñ, firñ t incǎntr in ɖ darc ɖoz larj lūs masz ẃć flot abt aftr ɖ brecñ p v ɖ îs. I prof̣td v ɖs tîm t rest fr a fy aurz.

In ɖ mornñ, hvr, az sn az it wz lît, I wnt upn dec n faund ol ɖ sêlrz bizi on wn sîd v ɖ vesl, apaṛntli tōcñ t smwn in ɖ sì. It wz, in fact, a slej, lîc ɖt w hd sìn bfr, ẃć hd driftd twdz s in ɖ nît on a larj fragmnt v îs. Onli wn dog rmend alîv; bt ɖr wz a hymn biyñ wɖn it hūm ɖ sêlrz wr pswedñ t entr ɖ vesl. H wz nt, az ɖ uɖr travlr sīmd t b, a savij inhabitnt v sm undiscuvrd îḷnd, bt a Yṛpiyn. Ẃn I apird on dec ɖ mastr sd, “Hir z ǎr captin, n h wl nt alǎ y t periś on ɖ opn sì.”

On psivñ m, ɖ strenjr adrest m in Ñgliś, olɖo wɖ a foṛn axnt. “Bfr I cm on bōrd yr vesl,” sd h, “wl y hv ɖ cîndnis t inform m ẃiɖr y r baund?”

Y me cnsiv mî astoniśmnt on hírñ sć a qsćn adrest t m fṛm a man on ɖ brinc v dstruẋn n t hūm I śd hv s’pozd ɖt mî vesl wd hv bn a rzors ẃć h wd nt hv xćenjd fr ɖ most preśs wlʈ ɖ rʈ cn aford. I rplaid, hvr, ɖt w wr on a vôij v dscuṿri twdz ɖ norɖn pol.

Upn hírñ ɖs h apird saṭsfaid n cnsntd t cm on bōrd. Gd God! Marġrit, f y hd sìn ɖ man hu ɖus c’pić̣letd fr hiz sefti, yr s’prîz wd hv bn bǎndlis. Hiz limz wr nirli frozn, n hiz bodi dredf̣li imesietd bî ftīg n suf̣rñ. I nvr sw a man in so rećid a cndiśn. W atmtd t cari him intu ɖ cabin, bt az sn az h hd qitd ɖ freś er h fentd. W acordñli bròt him bac t ɖ dec n rstord him t aṇmeśn bî rubñ him wɖ brandi n forsñ him t swolo a smōl qontti. Az sn az h śoud sînz v lîf w rápt him p in blancits n plest him nir ɖ ćimni v ɖ cićn stov. Bî slo dgriz h rcuvrd n ét a litl sūp, ẃć rstord him wundrf̣li.

Tū dez pást in ɖs manr bfr h wz ebl t spīc, n I ofn fird ɖt hiz suf̣rñz hd dprîvd him v unḍstandñ. Ẃn h hd in sm meźr rcuvrd, I rmuvd him t mî ǒn cabin n atndd on him az mć az mî dyti wd pmit. I nvr sw a mor inṭrestñ crīćr: hiz îz hv jenṛli an xpreśn v wîldnis, n īvn madnis, bt ɖr r momnts ẃn, f eniwn pformz an act v cîndnis twdz him or dz him eni ɖ most trîf̣lñ srvis, hiz hol cǎntinns z lîtd p, az it wr, wɖ a bīm v bnevḷns n swītnis ɖt I nvr sw īqld. Bt h z jenṛli meḷnc̣li n dsperñ, n smtmz h náśz hiz tīʈ, az f impeśnt v ɖ weit v woz ɖt opresz him.

Ẃn mî gest wz a litl rcuvrd I hd gret trubl t cīp of ɖ men, hu wśt t asc him a ʈǎznd qsćnz; bt I wd nt alǎ him t b tormntd bî ɖer îdl krioṣti, in a stet v bodi n mînd huz resṭreśn evidntli dpndd upn intîr rpoz. Wns, hvr, ɖ leftennt asct ẃ h hd cm so far upn ɖ îs in so strenj a viycl.

Hiz cǎntinns instntli asymd an aspect v ɖ dīpist glūm, n h rplaid, “T sīc wn hu fled fṛm m.”

“N dd ɖ man hūm y psyd travl in ɖ sem faśn?”

“Yes.”

“Ɖen I fansi w hv sìn him, fr ɖ de bfr w pict y p w sw sm dogz drw̃ a slej, wɖ a man in it, acrs ɖ îs.”

Ɖs arǎzd ɖ strenjr’z atnśn, n h asct a multtyd v qsćnz cnsrnñ ɖ rùt ẃć ɖ dīmn, az h cōld him, hd psyd. Sn aftr, ẃn h wz alon wɖ m, h sd, “I hv, dǎtlis, xîtd yr krioṣti, az wel az ɖt v ɖz gd ppl; bt y r tù cnsidṛt t mc inqîriz.”

“Srtnli; it wd indd b vri imprtinnt n inhymn in m t trubl y wɖ eni inqiztivnis v mîn.”

“N yt y reskd m fṛm a strenj n perḷs sićueśn; y hv bneṿlntli rstord m t lîf.”

Sn aftr ɖs h inqîrd f I ʈt ɖt ɖ brecñ p v ɖ îs hd dstroid ɖ uɖr slej. I rplaid ɖt I cd nt ansr wɖ eni dgri v srtnti, fr ɖ îs hd nt brocn untl nir midnît, n ɖ travlr mt hv arîvd at a ples v sefti bfr ɖt tîm; bt v ɖs I cd nt juj. Fṛm ɖs tîm a ny spirit v lîf aṇmetd ɖ dceyñ frem v ɖ strenjr. H maṇfstd ɖ gretist īgrnis t b upn dec t woć fr ɖ slej ẃć hd bfr apird; bt I hv pswedd him t rmen in ɖ cabin, fr h z far tù wìc t ssten ɖ rwnis v ɖ atṃsfir. I hv promist ɖt smwn śd woć fr him n gv him instnt notis f eni ny objict śd apir in sît.

Sć z mî jrnl v ẃt rlets t ɖs strenj ocuṛns p t ɖ preznt de. Ɖ strenjr hz graɉli impruvd in hlʈ bt z vri sîḷnt n apirz unīzi ẃn eniwn xpt mslf entrz hiz cabin. Yt hiz manrz r so cnsilietñ n jntl ɖt ɖ sêlrz r ol inṭrestd in him, olɖo ɖe hv hd vri litl cḿṇceśn wɖ him. Fr mî ǒn part, I bgin t luv him az a bruɖr, n hiz constnt n dīp grīf filz m wɖ simṗʈi n cmpaśn. H mst hv bn a nobl crīćr in hiz betr dez, biyñ īvn nǎ in rec so atractiv n emịbl. I sd in wn v mî letrz, mî dir Marġrit, ɖt I śd fînd no frend on ɖ wîd ośn; yt I hv faund a man hu, bfr hiz spirit hd bn brocn bî miẓri, I śd hv bn hapi t hv pzest az ɖ bruɖr v mî hart.

I śl cntiny mî jrnl cnsrnñ ɖ strenjr at inṭvlz, śd I hv eni freś insidnts t rcord.

Sć wrdz, y me imajin, stroñli xîtd mî krioṣti; bt ɖ paṛxizm v grīf ɖt hd sizd ɖ strenjr oṿcem hiz wìcnd pǎrz, n mni aurz v rpoz n tranqil convseśn wr nesṣri t rstor hiz cmpoźr. Hvñ concrd ɖ vayḷns v hiz fīlñz, h apird t dspîz himslf fr biyñ ɖ slev v paśn; n qelñ ɖ darc tiṛni v dsper, h léd m agn t cnvrs cnsrnñ mslf prsṇli. H asct m ɖ hisṭri v mî rlịr yirz. Ɖ têl wz qcli tld, bt it awecnd verịs trenz v rfleẋn. I spouc v mî dzîr v fîndñ a frend, v mî ʈrst fr a mor intiṃt simṗʈi wɖ a felo mînd ɖn hd evr fōḷn t mî lot, n xprest mî cnviẋn ɖt a man cd bost v litl hapinis hu dd nt injô ɖs blesñ. “I agri wɖ y,” rplaid ɖ strenjr; “w r unfaśnd crīćrz, bt haf md p, f wn wîzr, betr, dirr ɖn ǎrslvz—sć a frend òt t b—d nt lend hiz ed t pfex̣́net ǎr wìc n fōlti nećrz. I wns hd a frend, ɖ most nobl v hymn crīćrz, n am intîtld, ɖrfr, t juj rspctñ frendśp. Y hv hop, n ɖ wrld bfr y, n hv no cōz fr dsper. Bt I—I hv lost evriʈñ n canot bgin lîf any.”

Az h sd ɖs hiz cǎntinns bcem xpresiv v a cām, setld grīf ɖt tućt m t ɖ hart. Bt h wz sîḷnt n prezntli rtîrd t hiz cabin.

Īvn brocn in spirit az h z, nwn cn fīl mor dīpli ɖn h dz ɖ bytiz v nećr. Ɖ stari scî, ɖ sì, n evri sît afordd bî ɖz wundrfl rījnz sīm stl t hv ɖ pǎr v eḷvetñ hiz soul fṛm rʈ. Sć a man hz a dubl xistns: h me sufr miẓri n b oṿẃlmd bî dis’pôntmnts, yt ẃn h hz rtîrd intu himslf, h wl b lîc a s’lesćl spirit ɖt hz a helo arnd him, wɖn huz srcl no grīf or foli vnćrz.

Wl y smîl at ɖ inʈyziazm I xpres cnsrnñ ɖs dvîn wondrr? Y wd nt f y sw him. Y hv bn tytrd n rfînd bî bcs n rtîrmnt fṛm ɖ wrld, n y r ɖrfr smẃt fstidịs; bt ɖs onli rendrz y ɖ mor fit t aprīśiet ɖ xtrordnri merits v ɖs wundrfl man. Smtmz I hv indevrd t dscuvr ẃt qoḷti it z ẃć h pzesz ɖt eḷvets him so imeźṛbli abv eni uɖr prsn I evr ń. I b’liv it t b an intywtiv dsrnmnt, a qc bt nvr-felñ pǎr v jujmnt, a peṇtreśn intu ɖ cōzz v ʈñz, unīqld fr clirnis n prisiźn; ad t ɖs a fsiḷti v xpreśn n a vôs huz vẹrid inṭneśnz r soul-sbdywñ ḿzic.

Y me īẓli imajin ɖt I wz mć graṭfaid bî ɖ ofrd cḿṇceśn, yt I cd nt indyr ɖt h śd rny hiz grīf bî a rsîtl v hiz msfortynz. I flt ɖ gretist īgrnis t hír ɖ promist naṛtiv, partli fṛm krioṣti n partli fṛm a stroñ dzîr t amīłret hiz fet f it wr in mî pǎr. I xprest ɖz fīlñz in mî ansr.

“I ʈanc y,” h rplaid, “fr yr simṗʈi, bt it z yslis; mî fet z nirli flfild. I wêt bt fr wn ivnt, n ɖen I śl rpoz in pīs. I unḍstand yr fīlñ,” cntinyd h, psivñ ɖt I wśt t inṭrupt him; “bt y r mstecn, mî frend, f ɖus y wl alǎ m t nem y; nʈñ cn oltr mî desṭni; lisn t mî hisṭri, n y wl psiv hǎ irevcbli it z dtrmind.”

H ɖen tld m ɖt h wd cmns hiz naṛtiv ɖ nxt de ẃn I śd b at leźr. Ɖs promis drù fṛm m ɖ wormist ʈancs. I hv rzolvd evri nît, ẃn I am nt impeṛtivli okpaid bî mî dytiz, t rcord, az nirli az poṣbl in hiz ǒn wrdz, ẃt h hz rletd jrñ ɖ de. F I śd b ingejd, I wl at līst mc nots. Ɖs mańscript wl dǎtlis aford y ɖ gretist pleźr; bt t m, hu nǒ him, n hu hír it fṛm hiz ǒn lips—wɖ ẃt inṭrest n simṗʈi śl I rīd it in sm fyćr de! Īvn nǎ, az I cmns mî tasc, hiz fl-tond vôs swelz in mî irz; hiz lustṛs îz dwel on m wɖ ol ɖer meḷnc̣li swītnis; I si hiz ʈin hand rezd in aṇmeśn, ẃl ɖ linịmnts v hiz fes r iredietd bî ɖ soul wɖn.

Strenj n harowñ mst b hiz stori, frîtfl ɖ storm ẃć imbrest ɖ gaḷnt vesl on its cors n rect it—ɖus!