“Y mst criet a fīmel fr m wɖ hūm I cn liv in ɖ inṭćenj v ɖoz simṗʈiz nesṣri fr mî biyñ. Ɖs y alon cn d, n I dmand it v y az a rît ẃć y mst nt rfyz t cnsid.”

Ɖ latr part v hiz têl hd cindld any in m ɖ angr ɖt hd daid awe ẃl h nretd hiz pīsfl lîf amñ ɖ cotijrz, n az h sd ɖs I cd no longr s’pres ɖ rej ɖt brnd wɖn m.

“I d rfyz it,” I rplaid; “n no torćr śl evr xtort a cnsnt fṛm m. Y me rendr m ɖ most mizṛbl v men, bt y śl nvr mc m bes in mî ǒn îz. Śl I criet anɖr lîc yrslf, huz jônt wicidnis mt dezḷt ɖ wrld. Bgon! I hv ansrd y; y me torćr m, bt I wl nvr cnsnt.”

“Y r in ɖ roñ,” rplaid ɖ fīnd; “n instd v ʈreṭnñ, I am cntnt t rīzn wɖ y. I am mliśs bcz I am mizṛbl. Am I nt śund n hetd bî ol man-cnd? Y, mî crietr, wd ter m t pìsz n trîumf; rmembr ɖt, n tel m ẃ I śd piti man mor ɖn h pitiz m? Y wd nt cōl it mrdr f y cd prisiṗtet m intu wn v ɖoz îsrifts n dstrô mî frem, ɖ wrc v yr ǒn handz. Śl I rspct man ẃn h cndemz m? Let him liv wɖ m in ɖ inṭćenj v cîndnis, n instd v inɉri I wd bsto evri beṇfit upn him wɖ tirz v grattyd at hiz axptns. Bt ɖt canot b; ɖ hymn snsz r inṣmǎntbl barịrz t ǎr yńn. Yt mîn śl nt b ɖ sbmiśn v abject sleṿri. I wl rvnj mî inɉriz; f I canot inspîr luv, I wl cōz fir, n ćīfli twdz y mî arć-eṇmi, bcz mî crietr, d I swer inixtnḡśbl hetrid. Hv a cer; I wl wrc at yr dstrux́n, nr finiś untl I deẓlet yr hart, so ɖt y śl crs ɖ aur v yr brʈ.”

A fīndiś rej aṇmetd him az h sd ɖs; hiz fes wz rincld intu cntorśnz tù hoṛbl fr hymn îz t bhold; bt prezntli h cāmd himslf n pṛsidd—

“I intndd t rīzn. Ɖs paśn z detṛmntl t m, fr y d nt rflect ɖt Y r ɖ cōz v its xes. F eni biyñ flt imośnz v bnevḷns twdz m, I śd rtrn ɖm a hundṛd n a hundṛdfold; fr ɖt wn crīćr’z sec I wd mc pīs wɖ ɖ hol cnd! Bt I nǎ indulj in drīmz v blis ɖt canot b riylîzd. Ẃt I asc v y z rīzṇbl n modṛt; I dmand a crīćr v anɖr sx, bt az hidịs az mslf; ɖ gratif̣ceśn z smōl, bt it z ol ɖt I cn rsiv, n it śl cntnt m. It z tru, w śl b monstrz, cut of fṛm ol ɖ wrld; bt on ɖt acǎnt w śl b mor ataćt t wn anɖr. Ǎr livz wl nt b hapi, bt ɖe wl b harmlis n fri fṛm ɖ miẓri I nǎ fīl. Ǒ! Mî crietr, mc m hapi; let m fīl grattyd twdz y fr wn beṇfit! Let m si ɖt I xît ɖ simṗʈi v sm xistñ ʈñ; d nt dnî m mî rqst!”

I wz muvd. I śudrd ẃn I ʈt v ɖ poṣbl consiqnsz v mî cnsnt, bt I flt ɖt ɖr wz sm justis in hiz arğmnt. Hiz têl n ɖ fīlñz h nǎ xprest pruvd him t b a crīćr v fîn snseśnz, n dd I nt az hiz mcr o him ol ɖ porśn v hapinis ɖt it wz in mî pǎr t bsto? H sw mî ćenj v fīlñ n cntinyd,

“F y cnsnt, nɖr y nr eni uɖr hymn biyñ śl evr si s agn; I wl g t ɖ vast wîldz v Sǎʈ America. Mî fūd z nt ɖt v man; I d nt dstrô ɖ lam n ɖ cid t glut mî aṗtît; ecornz n bériz aford m sfiśnt nuriśmnt. Mî cmpańn wl b v ɖ sem nećr az mslf n wl b cntnt wɖ ɖ sem fér. W śl mc ǎr bed v draid līvz; ɖ sún wl śîn on s az on man n wl rîpn ǎr fūd. Ɖ picćr I priznt t y z pīsfl n hymn, n y mst fīl ɖt y cd dnî it onli in ɖ wontņis v pǎr n cruwlti. Pitilis az y hv bn twdz m, I nǎ si cmpaśn in yr îz; let m sīz ɖ fevṛbl momnt n pswed y t promis ẃt I so ardntli dzîr.”

“Y pṛpoz,” rplaid I, “t flî fṛm ɖ habteśnz v man, t dwel in ɖoz wîldz ẃr ɖ bīsts v ɖ fīld wl b yr onli cmpańnz. Hǎ cn y, hu loñ fr ɖ luv n simṗʈi v man, prṣvir in ɖs xîl? Y wl rtrn n agn sīc ɖer cîndnis, n y wl mīt wɖ ɖer dītsteśn; yr īvl paśnz wl b rnyd, n y wl ɖen hv a cmpańn t ed y in ɖ tasc v dstrux́n. Ɖs me nt b; sīs t argy ɖ pônt, fr I canot cnsnt.”

“Hǎ inconstnt r yr fīlñz! Bt a momnt ago y wr muvd bî mî repriznteśnz, n ẃ d y agn hardn yrslf t mî cmplents? I swer t y, bî ɖ rʈ ẃć I inhabit, n bî y ɖt md m, ɖt wɖ ɖ cmpańn y bsto I wl qit ɖ nebrhd v man n dwel, az it me ćans, in ɖ most savij v plesz. Mî īvl paśnz wl hv fled, fr I śl mīt wɖ simṗʈi! Mî lîf wl flo qaytli awe, n in mî dayñ momnts I śl nt crs mî mcr.”

Hiz wrdz hd a strenj ifct upn m. I cmpaṣ́netd him n smtmz flt a wś t cnsol him, bt ẃn I lct upn him, ẃn I sw ɖ filʈi mas ɖt muvd n tōct, mî hart sicnd n mî fīlñz wr oltrd t ɖoz v horr n hetrid. I traid t stîfl ɖz snseśnz; I ʈt ɖt az I cd nt simṗʈîz wɖ him, I hd no rît t wɖhold fṛm him ɖ smōl porśn v hapinis ẃć wz yt in mî pǎr t bsto.

“Y swer,” I sd, “t b harmlis; bt hv y nt olrdi śoun a dgri v malis ɖt śd rīzṇbli mc m dstrust y? Me nt īvn ɖs b a feint ɖt wl incris yr trîumf bî afordñ a wîdr scop fr yr rvnj?”

“Hǎ z ɖs? I mst nt b trîfld wɖ, n I dmand an ansr. F I hv no tîz n no afx́nz, hetrid n vîs mst b mî porśn; ɖ luv v anɖr wl dstrô ɖ cōz v mî crîmz, n I śl bcm a ʈñ v huz xistns evrwn wl b ignṛnt. Mî vîsz r ɖ ćildṛn v a forst soḷtyd ɖt I abhor, n mî vrćuz wl nesseṛli arîz ẃn I liv in cḿńn wɖ an īql. I śl fīl ɖ afx́nz v a snṣtiv biyñ n bcm linct t ɖ ćen v xistns n ivnts fṛm ẃć I am nǎ xcludd.”

I pōzd sm tîm t rflect on ol h hd rletd n ɖ verịs arğmnts ẃć h hd imploid. I ʈt v ɖ promis v vrćuz ẃć h hd dspleid on ɖ oṗnñ v hiz xistns n ɖ subsiqnt blît v ol cîndli fīlñ bî ɖ loɖñ n scorn ẃć hiz pṛtctrz hd maṇfstd twdz him. Hiz pǎr n ʈrets wr nt omitd in mî calkleśnz; a crīćr hu cd xist in ɖ îs cevz v ɖ gleśrz n hîd himslf fṛm psyt amñ ɖ rijz v in’xesbl preṣpisz wz a biyñ pzesñ facltiz it wd b ven t cǒp wɖ. Aftr a loñ pōz v rflex́n I cncludd ɖt ɖ justis dy bʈ t him n mî felocrīćrz dmandd v m ɖt I śd cmplî wɖ hiz rqst. Trnñ t him, ɖrfr, I sd,

“I cnsnt t yr dmand, on yr soḷm oʈ t qit Yṛp fr evr, n evri uɖr ples in ɖ nebrhd v man, az sn az I śl dlivr intu yr handz a fīmel hu wl acumṗni y in yr xîl.”

“I swer,” h craid, “bî ɖ sún, n bî ɖ blu scî v hevn, n bî ɖ fîr v luv ɖt brnz mî hart, ɖt f y grant mî prer, ẃl ɖe xist y śl nvr bhold m agn. Dpart t yr hom n cmns yr lebrz; I śl woć ɖer progres wɖ unutṛbl añzayti; n fir nt bt ɖt ẃn y r redi I śl apir.”

Seyñ ɖs, h sudnli qitd m, firfl, phps, v eni ćenj in mî sntimnts. I sw him dsnd ɖ mǎntin wɖ gretr spīd ɖn ɖ flît v an īgl, n qcli lost amñ ɖ undyleśnz v ɖ sì v îs.

Hiz têl hd okpaid ɖ hol de, n ɖ sún wz upn ɖ vrj v ɖ hrîzn ẃn h dpartd. I ń ɖt I òt t hesn mî dsent twdz ɖ vali, az I śd sn b incumṗst in darcnis; bt mî hart wz hevi, n mî steps slo. Ɖ lebr v wîndñ amñ ɖ litl paɖz v ɖ mǎntin n fixñ mî fīt frmli az I advanst pplext m, okpaid az I wz bî ɖ imośnz ẃć ɖ ocuṛnsiz v ɖ de hd pṛdyst. Nît wz far advanst ẃn I cem t ɖ hafwe restñples n sītd mslf bsd ɖ fǎntn. Ɖ starz śon at inṭvlz az ɖ clǎdz pást fṛm ovr ɖm; ɖ darc pînz rouz bfr m, n evri hir n ɖr a brocn tri lei on ɖ grǎnd; it wz a sīn v wundrfl s’lemṇti n strd strenj ʈts wɖn m. I wept bitrli, n claspñ mî handz in aġni, I xclemd, “Ǒ! Starz n clǎdz n windz, yi r ol abt t moc m; f yi riyli piti m, cruś snseśn n meṃri; let m bcm az nòt; bt f nt, dpart, dpart, n līv m in darcnis.”

Ɖz wr wîld n mizṛbl ʈts, bt I canot dscrîb t y hǎ ɖ itrnl twnc̣lñ v ɖ starz weid upn m n hǎ I lisnd t evri blast v wind az f it wr a dul ugli siroc on its we t cnsym m.

Mornñ dōnd bfr I arîvd at ɖ vilij v Śaṃnī; I tc no rest, bt rtrnd imīɉtli t Jnīva. Īvn in mî ǒn hart I cd gv no xpreśn t mî snseśnz—ɖe weid on m wɖ a mǎntin’z weit n ɖer xes dstroid mî aġni bnʈ ɖm. Ɖus I rtrnd hom, n enṭrñ ɖ hǎs, prizntd mslf t ɖ faṃli. Mî haġd n wîld apiṛns awouc intns alarm, bt I ansrd no qsćn, scersli dd I spīc. I flt az f I wr plest undr a ban—az f I hd no rît t clem ɖer simṗʈiz—az f nvr mor mt I injô cmpańnśp wɖ ɖm. Yt īvn ɖus I luvd ɖm t aḍreśn; n t sev ɖm, I rzolvd t deḍcet mslf t mî most abhord tasc. Ɖ prospect v sć an okpeśn md evri uɖr srcmstans v xistns pas bfr m lîc a drīm, n ɖt ʈt onli hd t m ɖ riaḷti v lîf.

It wz aftr mî rtrn fṛm wn v ɖz ramblz ɖt mî faɖr, cōlñ m asd, ɖus adrest m,

“I am hapi t rmarc, mî dir sun, ɖt y hv rzymd yr formr pleźrz n sīm t b rtrnñ t yrslf. N yt y r stl unhapi n stl avôd ǎr ssayti. Fr sm tîm I wz lost in cnjcćr az t ɖ cōz v ɖs, bt yesṭde an îdīa struc m, n f it z wel fǎndd, I cunjr y t avǎ it. Rzrv on sć a pônt wd b nt onli yslis, bt drw dǎn trebl miẓri on s ol.”

I trembld vayḷntli at hiz xordịm, n mî faɖr cntinyd—

“I cnfes, mî sun, ɖt I hv olwz lct fwd t yr marij wɖ ǎr dir Iliẓbʈ az ɖ tî v ǎr dmestic cumf̣t n ɖ ste v mî dclînñ yirz. Y wr ataćt t ć uɖr fṛm yr rliist inf̣nsi; y studid tgɖr, n apird, in disṗziśnz n tests, intîrli sūtd t wn anɖr. Bt so blînd z ɖ xpirịns v man ɖt ẃt I cnsivd t b ɖ bst asistnts t mî plan me hv intîrli dstroid it. Y, phps, rgard hr az yr sistr, wɖt eni wś ɖt ś mt bcm yr wîf. Nê, y me hv met wɖ anɖr hūm y me luv; n cnsiḍrñ yrslf az baund in onr t Iliẓbʈ, ɖs strugl me oceźn ɖ pôńnt miẓri ẃć y apir t fīl.”

“Mî dir faɖr, ri’śur yrslf. I luv mî cuzn tndrli n snsirli. I nvr sw eni wmn hu xîtd, az Iliẓbʈ dz, mî wormist adṃreśn n afx́n. Mî fyćr hops n prospects r intîrli baund p in ɖ xpcteśn v ǎr yńn.”

“Ɖ xpreśn v yr sntimnts v ɖs subjict, mî dir Victr, gvz m mor pleźr ɖn I hv fr sm tîm xpirịnst. F y fīl ɖus, w śl aśuridli b hapi, hvr preznt ivnts me cast a glūm ovr s. Bt it z ɖs glūm ẃć apirz t hv tecn so stroñ a hold v yr mînd ɖt I wś t diṣpet. Tel m, ɖrfr, ẃɖr y objict t an imīɉt soḷmnîześn v ɖ marij. W hv bn unforćṇt, n rīsnt ivnts hv drwn s fṛm ɖt evride tranqiḷti bfitñ mî yirz n infrṃtiz. Y r yungr; yt I d nt s’poz, pzest az y r v a compitnt fortyn, ɖt an rli marij wd at ol inṭfir wɖ eni fyćr planz v onr n ytiḷti ɖt y me hv formd. D nt s’poz, hvr, ɖt I wś t dictet hapinis t y or ɖt a dle on yr part wd cōz m eni sirịs unīzinis. Intrprit mî wrdz wɖ candr n ansr m, I cunjr y, wɖ confidns n snseṛti.”

I lisnd t mî faɖr in sîḷns n rmend fr sm tîm inceṗbl v of̣rñ eni rplî. I rvolvd rapidli in mî mînd a multtyd v ʈts n indevrd t arîv at sm cncluźn. Alas! T m ɖ îdīa v an imīɉt yńn wɖ mî Iliẓbʈ wz wn v horr n dsme. I wz baund bî a soḷm promis ẃć I hd nt yt flfild n derd nt brec, or f I dd, ẃt maṇfold miẓriz mt nt impnd ovr m n mî dvotd faṃli! Cd I entr intu a fstivl wɖ ɖs dedli weit yt haññ rnd mî nec n bawñ m t ɖ grǎnd? I mst pform mî ingejmnt n let ɖ monstr dpart wɖ hiz mêt bfr I alaud mslf t injô ɖ dlît v a yńn fṛm ẃć I xpctd pīs.

I rmembrd olso ɖ nseṣti impozd upn m v îɖr jrniyñ t Ñgḷnd or enṭrñ intu a loñ corispondns wɖ ɖoz f’loṣfrz v ɖt cuntri huz nolij n dscuṿriz wr v indispnsbl ys t m in mî preznt unḍtecñ. Ɖ latr meʈ̇d v obtenñ ɖ dzîrd intelijns wz diḷtri n unsaṭsfactri; bsdz, I hd an inṣmǎntbl avrśn t ɖ îdīa v ingejñ mslf in mî loɖsm tasc in mî faɖr’z hǎs ẃl in habits v fmiłr inṭcors wɖ ɖoz I luvd. I ń ɖt a ʈǎznd firfl axidnts mt ocŕ, ɖ slîtist v ẃć wd dscloz a têl t ʈril ol cnctd wɖ m wɖ horr. I wz awer olso ɖt I śd ofn lūz ol slf-cmand, ol cpaṣti v hîdñ ɖ harowñ snseśnz ɖt wd pzes m jrñ ɖ progres v mî unrʈli okpeśn. I mst absnt mslf fṛm ol I luvd ẃl ɖus imploid. Wns cmnst, it wd qcli b aćivd, n I mt b rstord t mî faṃli in pīs n hapinis. Mî promis flfild, ɖ monstr wd dpart fr evr. Or (so mî fond fansi imijd) sm axidnt mt mnẃl ocŕ t dstrô him n pt an end t mî sleṿri fr evr.

Ɖz fīlñz dictetd mî ansr t mî faɖr. I xprest a wś t vizit Ñgḷnd, bt cnsilñ ɖ tru rīznz v ɖs rqst, I cloɖd mî dzîrz undr a gîz ẃć xîtd no sspiśn, ẃl I rjd mî dzîr wɖ an rṇstnis ɖt īẓli indyst mî faɖr t cmplî. Aftr so loñ a pirịd v an abzorbñ meḷnc̣li ɖt rzmbld madnis in its intnṣti n ifcts, h wz glad t fînd ɖt I wz ceṗbl v tecñ pleźr in ɖ îdīa v sć a jrni, n h hopt ɖt ćenj v sīn n vẹrid aḿzmnt wd, bfr mî rtrn, hv rstord m intîrli t mslf.

Ɖ jreśn v mî absns wz left t mî ǒn ćôs; a fy munʈs, or at most a yir, wz ɖ pirịd contmpletd. Wn ptrnl cînd pricōśn h hd tecn t enśur mî hvñ a cmpańn. Wɖt prīvịsli cḿṇcetñ wɖ m, h hd, in conṣt wɖ Iliẓbʈ, arenjd ɖt Clerval śd jôn m at Strasbrg. Ɖs inṭfird wɖ ɖ soḷtyd I cuṿtd fr ɖ proṣkśn v mî tasc; yt at ɖ cmnsmnt v mî jrni ɖ prezns v mî frend cd in no we b an impedimnt, n trūli I rjôst ɖt ɖus I śd b sevd mni aurz v lonli, maḍnñ rflex́n. Nê, Õri mt stand btwn m n ɖ intruźn v mî fo. F I wr alon, wd h nt at tîmz fors hiz abhord prezns on m t rmînd m v mî tasc or t contmplet its progres?

T Ñgḷnd, ɖrfr, I wz baund, n it wz unḍstd ɖt mî yńn wɖ Iliẓbʈ śd tec ples imīɉtli on mî rtrn. Mî faɖr’z ej rendrd him xtrimli avrs t dle. Fr mslf, ɖr wz wn rword I promist mslf fṛm mî dtstd tôlz—wn conṣleśn fr mî unpaṛleld suf̣rñz; it wz ɖ prospect v ɖt de ẃn, infranćîzd fṛm mî mizṛbl sleṿri, I mt clem Iliẓbʈ n fget ɖ past in mî yńn wɖ hr.

I nǎ md arenjmnts fr mî jrni, bt wn fīlñ hōntd m ẃć fild m wɖ fir n ajteśn. Jrñ mî absns I śd līv mî frendz unconśs v ɖ xistns v ɖer eṇmi n unpṛtctd fṛm hiz atacs, xasṗretd az h mt b bî mî dparćr. Bt h hd promist t folo m ẃrvr I mt g, n wd h nt acumṗni m t Ñgḷnd? Ɖs imaɉneśn wz dredfl in itslf, bt suɖñ in’zmć az it s’pozd ɖ sefti v mî frendz. I wz aġnîzd wɖ ɖ îdīa v ɖ posbiḷti ɖt ɖ rvrs v ɖs mt hapn. Bt ʈru ɖ hol pirịd jrñ ẃć I wz ɖ slev v mî crīćr I alaud mslf t b guvnd bî ɖ impulsz v ɖ momnt; n mî preznt snseśnz stroñli inṭmetd ɖt ɖ fīnd wd folo m n xmt mî faṃli fṛm ɖ denjr v hiz maṣ́neśnz.

It wz in ɖ latr end v Sptmbr ɖt I agn qitd mî netiv cuntri. Mî jrni hd bn mî ǒn sjsćn, n Iliẓbʈ ɖrfr aqiest, bt ś wz fild wɖ dsqayt at ɖ îdīa v mî suf̣rñ, awe fṛm hr, ɖ inrodz v miẓri n grīf. It hd bn hr cer ẃć pṛvîdd m a cmpańn in Clerval—n yt a man z blînd t a ʈǎznd mînyt srcmstansz ẃć cōl fʈ a wmn’z sedyḷs atnśn. Ś loñd t bid m hesn mî rtrn; a ʈǎznd cnflictñ imośnz rendrd hr ḿt az ś bád m a tirfl, sîḷnt férwel.

I ʈrù mslf intu ɖ carij ɖt wz t cnve m awe, hardli nwñ ẃiɖr I wz gwñ, n cerlis v ẃt wz pasñ arnd. I rmembrd onli, n it wz wɖ a bitr anḡś ɖt I rflectd on it, t ordr ɖt mî cemicl instṛmnts śd b páct t g wɖ m. Fild wɖ driri imaɉneśnz, I pást ʈru mni bytifl n mjestic sīnz, bt mî îz wr fixt n un’bzrvñ. I cd onli ʈnc v ɖ bōrn v mî travlz n ɖ wrc ẃć wz t okpî m ẃlst ɖe indyrd.

Aftr sm dez spent in listlis indḷns, jrñ ẃć I tṛvrst mni līgz, I arîvd at Strasbrg, ẃr I wêtd tū dez fr Clerval. H cem. Alas, hǎ gret wz ɖ contrast btwn s! H wz alîv t evri ny sīn, jôfl ẃn h sw ɖ bytiz v ɖ setñ sún, n mor hapi ẃn h bheld it rîz n rīc̣mns a ny de. H pôntd ǎt t m ɖ śiftñ culrz v ɖ lanscep n ɖ apiṛnsz v ɖ scî. “Ɖs z ẃt it z t liv,” h craid; “hǎ I injô xistns! Bt y, mî dir Francnstîn, ẃr-fr r y dspondñ n soṛfl!” In truʈ, I wz okpaid bî glūmi ʈts n nɖr sw ɖ dsent v ɖ īvnñstar nr ɖ goldn súnrîz rflectd in ɖ Rîn. N y, mî frend, wd b far mor aḿzd wɖ ɖ jrnl v Clerval, hu obzrvd ɖ sìṇri wɖ an î v fīlñ n dlît, ɖn in liṣnñ t mî rflex́nz. I, a mizṛbl reć, hōntd bî a crs ɖt śut p evri aṿny t injômnt.

W hd agrìd t dsnd ɖ Rîn in a bot fṛm Strasbrg t Roṭdam, ẃns w mt tec śipñ fr Lundn. Jrñ ɖs vôij w pást mni wilôi îḷndz n sw sevṛl bytifl tǎnz. W steid a de at Manhîm, n on ɖ fifʈ fṛm ǎr dparćr fṛm Strasbrg, arîvd at Mînts. Ɖ cors v ɖ Rîn b’lo Mînts bcmz mć mor picćresc. Ɖ rivr dsndz rapidli n wîndz btwn hilz, nt hî, bt stīp, n v bytifl formz. W sw mni ruind caslz standñ on ɖ éjz v preṣpisz, srǎndd bî blac wŭdz, hî n in’xesbl. Ɖs part v ɖ Rîn, indd, preznts a snğlrli verịgetd lanscep. In wn spot y vy rugid hilz, ruind caslz oṿlcñ tṛmnḍs preṣpisz, wɖ ɖ darc Rîn ruśñ bnʈ; n on ɖ sudn trn v a proṃntri, fluṛśñ vińdz wɖ grīn slǒpñ bancs n a miandrñ rivr n popyḷs tǎnz okpî ɖ sīn.

W travld at ɖ tîm v ɖ vintij n hŕd ɖ soñ v ɖ lebrrz az w glîdd dǎn ɖ strīm. Īvn I, dprest in mînd, n mî spirits cntińli ajtetd bî glūmi fīlñz, īvn I wz plizd. I lei at ɖ botm v ɖ bot, n az I gezd on ɖ clǎdlis blu scî, I sīmd t drinc in a tranqiḷti t ẃć I hd loñ bn a strenjr. N f ɖz wr mî snseśnz, hu cn dscrîb ɖoz v Õri? H flt az f h hd bn trnsportd t fẹriland n injoid a hapinis sldm testd bî man. “I hv sìn,” h sd, “ɖ most bytifl sīnz v mî ǒn cuntri; I hv viẓtd ɖ lecs v Lūsrn n Ŭri, ẃr ɖ snǒi mǎntinz dsnd olmst prpndiklrli t ɖ wōtr, castñ blac n impeṇtṛbl śêdz, ẃć wd cōz a glūmi n mōrnfl apiṛns wr it nt fr ɖ most vrdnt îḷndz ɖt rliv ɖ î bî ɖer ge apiṛns; I hv sìn ɖs lec ajtetd bî a tempist, ẃn ɖ wind tòr p ẃrlwindz v wōtr n gev y an îdīa v ẃt ɖ wōtrspǎt mst b on ɖ gret ośn; n ɖ wevz daś wɖ fyri ɖ bes v ɖ mǎntin, ẃr ɖ prīst n hiz mistris wr oṿẃlmd bî an aṿlanć n ẃr ɖer dayñ vôsz r stl sd t b hŕd amd ɖ pōzz v ɖ nîtli wind; I hv sìn ɖ mǎntinz v La Vale, n ɖ Pe d’Vo; bt ɖs cuntri, Victr, plizz m mor ɖn ol ɖoz wundrz. Ɖ mǎntinz v Switṣḷnd r mor mjestic n strenj, bt ɖr z a ćarm in ɖ bancs v ɖs dvîn rivr ɖt I nvr bfr sw īqld. Lc at ɖt casl ẃć oṿhañz yon preṣpis; n ɖt olso on ɖ îḷnd, olmst cnsild amñst ɖ foliij v ɖoz luvli triz; n nǎ ɖt grūp v lebrrz cmñ fṛm amñ ɖer vînz; n ɖt vilij haf hid in ɖ rses v ɖ mǎntin. Ǒ, śrli ɖ spirit ɖt inhabits n gardz ɖs ples hz a soul mor in harṃni wɖ man ɖn ɖoz hu pîl ɖ gleśr or rtîr t ɖ in’xesbl pīcs v ɖ mǎntinz v ǎr ǒn cuntri.”

Clerval! B’luvid frend! Īvn nǎ it dlîts m t record yr wrdz n t dwel on ɖ prêz v ẃć y r so eminntli dzrvñ. H wz a biyñ formd in ɖ “vri powtri v nećr.” Hiz wîld n inʈyziastic imaɉneśn wz ćeisnd bî ɖ snsbiḷti v hiz hart. Hiz soul oṿfloud wɖ ardnt afx́nz, n hiz frendśp wz v ɖt dvotd n wundṛs nećr ɖt ɖ wrld-mîndd tīć s t lc fr onli in ɖ imaɉneśn. Bt īvn hymn simṗʈiz wr nt sfiśnt t saṭsfî hiz īgr mînd. Ɖ sìṇri v xtrnl nećr, ẃć uɖrz rgard onli wɖ adṃreśn, h luvd wɖ ardr:—

N ẃr dz h nǎ xist? Z ɖs jntl n luvli biyñ lost fr evr? Hz ɖs mînd, so rplit wɖ îdīaz, imaɉneśnz fansifl n mgnifisnt, ẃć formd a wrld, huz xistns dpndd on ɖ lîf v its crietr;—hz ɖs mînd periśt? Dz it nǎ onli xist in mî meṃri? No, it z nt ɖus; yr form so dvînli ròt, n bīmñ wɖ byti, hz dceid, bt yr spirit stl vizits n cnsolz yr unhapi frend.

Pardn ɖs guś v soro; ɖz inifcćl wrdz r bt a slît tribyt t ɖ unixampld wrʈ v Õri, bt ɖe suɖ mî hart, oṿflowñ wɖ ɖ anḡś ẃć hiz rmembṛns criets. I wl pṛsid wɖ mî têl.

Bynd C’lon w dsndd t ɖ plenz v Hoḷnd; n w rzolvd t post ɖ rmendr v ǎr we, fr ɖ wind wz contrri n ɖ strīm v ɖ rivr wz tù jntl t ed s.

Ǎr jrni hir lost ɖ inṭrest arîzñ fṛm bytifl sìṇri, bt w arîvd in a fy dez at Roṭdam, ẃns w pṛsidd bî sì t Ñgḷnd. It wz on a clir mornñ, in ɖ latr dez v Dsmbr, ɖt I frst sw ɖ ẃît clifs v Britn. Ɖ bancs v ɖ Tmz prizntd a ny sīn; ɖe wr flat bt frtîl, n olmst evri tǎn wz marct bî ɖ rmembṛns v sm stori. W sw Tilḅri Fort n rmembrd ɖ Spaniś Armāda, Grevzend, Wŭlij, n Grenij—plesz ẃć I hd hŕd v īvn in mî cuntri.

At leñʈ w sw ɖ ńmṛs stīplz v Lundn, St. Pōl’z tǎrñ abv ol, n ɖ Tǎr femd in Ñgliś hisṭri.

F ɖs jrni hd tecn ples jrñ mî dez v studi n hapinis, it wd hv afordd m inixpresbl pleźr. Bt a blît hd cm ovr mî xistns, n I onli viẓtd ɖz ppl fr ɖ sec v ɖ inf̣meśn ɖe mt gv m on ɖ subjict in ẃć mî inṭrest wz so teṛbli pṛfǎnd. Cumṗni wz rcsm t m; ẃn alon, I cd fil mî mînd wɖ ɖ sîts v hevn n rʈ; ɖ vôs v Õri suɖd m, n I cd ɖus ćīt mslf intu a transitri pīs. Bt bizi, uninṭrestñ, joys fesz bròt bac dsper t mî hart. I sw an inṣmǎntbl barịr plest btwn m n mî felomen; ɖs barịr wz sìld wɖ ɖ blud v Wiłm n Justīn, n t rflect on ɖ ivnts cnctd wɖ ɖoz nemz fild mî soul wɖ anḡś.

Bt in Clerval I sw ɖ imij v mî formr slf; h wz inqiztiv n añśs t gen xpirịns n instrux́n. Ɖ difṛns v manrz ẃć h obzrvd wz t him an inixōstbl sors v instrux́n n aḿzmnt. H wz olso psywñ an objict h hd loñ hd in vy. Hiz dzîn wz t vizit India, in ɖ b’lif ɖt h hd in hiz nolij v its verịs lanḡjz, n in ɖ vyz h hd tecn v its ssayti, ɖ mīnz v mtirịli asistñ ɖ progres v Yṛpiyn coḷnîześn n tred. In Britn onli cd h frɖr ɖ x’kśn v hiz plan. H wz fr evr bizi, n ɖ onli ćec t hiz injômnts wz mî soṛfl n djctd mînd. I traid t cnsil ɖs az mć az poṣbl, ɖt I mt nt dbar him fṛm ɖ pleźrz naćṛl t wn hu wz enṭrñ on a ny sīn v lîf, undistrbd bî eni cer or bitr rec̣lex́n. I ofn rfyzd t acumṗni him, alejñ anɖr ingejmnt, ɖt I mt rmen alon. I nǎ olso bgan t c’lect ɖ mtirịlz nesṣri fr mî ny crieśn, n ɖs wz t m lîc ɖ torćr v sngl drops v wōtr cntińli fōlñ on ɖ hed. Evri ʈt ɖt wz dvotd t it wz an xtrim anḡś, n evri wrd ɖt I spouc in aluźn t it cōzd mî lips t qivr, n mî hart t palṗtet.

Aftr pasñ sm munʈs in Lundn, w rsivd a letr fṛm a prsn in Scotḷnd hu hd formrli bn ǎr vizitr at Jnīva. H mnśnd ɖ bytiz v hiz netiv cuntri n asct s f ɖoz wr nt sfiśnt alurmnts t indys s t pṛloñ ǎr jrni az far norʈ az Prʈ, ẃr h rzîdd. Clerval īgrli dzîrd t axpt ɖs invteśn, n I, olɖo I abhord ssayti, wśt t vy agn mǎntinz n strīmz n ol ɖ wundṛs wrcs wɖ ẃć Nećr adornz hr ćozn dwelñplesz.

W hd arîvd in Ñgḷnd at ɖ bginñ v Octobr, n it wz nǎ Febrri. W acordñli dtrmind t cmns ǎr jrni twdz ɖ norʈ at ɖ xṗreśn v anɖr munʈ. In ɖs xpdiśn w dd nt intnd t folo ɖ gret rod t Ednbra, bt t vizit Winzr, Oxf̣d, Matloc, n ɖ Cumbḷnd lecs, rzolvñ t arîv at ɖ cmpliśn v ɖs tur abt ɖ end v Jlî. I páct p mî cemicl instṛmnts n ɖ mtirịlz I hd c’lectd, rzolvñ t finiś mî lebrz in sm obskr nc in ɖ norɖn hîḷndz v Scotḷnd.

W qitd Lundn on ɖ 27ʈ v Marć n rmend a fy dez at Winzr, ramḅlñ in its bytifl forist. Ɖs wz a ny sīn t s mǎnṭnirz; ɖ mjestic ocs, ɖ qontti v gem, n ɖ hŕdz v stetli dír wr ol novltiz t s.

Fṛm ɖns w pṛsidd t Oxf̣d. Az w entrd ɖs siti ǎr mîndz wr fild wɖ ɖ rmembṛns v ɖ ivnts ɖt hd bn trnzactd ɖr mor ɖn a snćri n a haf bfr. It wz hir ɖt Ćarlz I. hd c’lectd hiz forsz. Ɖs siti hd rmend feʈfl t him, aftr ɖ hol neśn hd fōrsecn hiz cōz t jôn ɖ stanḍd v Parḷmnt n liḅti. Ɖ meṃri v ɖt unforćṇt cñ n hiz cmpańnz, ɖ emịbl Fōcḷnd, ɖ insḷnt Gorñ, hiz qīn, n sun, gev a pkłr inṭrest t evri part v ɖ siti ẃć ɖe mt b s’pozd t hv inhaḅtd. Ɖ spirit v eldr dez faund a dwelñ hir, n w dlîtd t tres its ftsteps. F ɖz fīlñz hd nt faund an imajinri gratif̣ceśn, ɖ apiṛns v ɖ siti hd yt in itslf sfiśnt byti t obten ǎr adṃreśn. Ɖ coḷjz r enćnt n picćresc; ɖ strīts r olmst mgnifisnt; n ɖ luvli Îsis, ẃć floz bsd it ʈru medoz v xqizit vrdyr, z spred fʈ intu a plasid xpans v wōtrz, ẃć rflects its mjestic asmblij v tǎrz, n spîrz, n domz, imbŭzmd amñ ejid triz.

I injoid ɖs sīn, n yt mî injômnt wz imbitrd bʈ bî ɖ meṃri v ɖ past n ɖ antiṣpeśn v ɖ fyćr. I wz formd fr pīsfl hapinis. Jrñ mî yʈfl dez discntnt nvr viẓtd mî mînd, n f I wz evr oṿcm bî ãwī, ɖ sît v ẃt z bytifl in nećr or ɖ studi v ẃt z xḷnt n sblîm in ɖ pṛdux́nz v man cd olwz inṭrest mî hart n cḿṇcet ilastiṣti t mî spirits. Bt I am a blastd tri; ɖ bolt hz entrd mî soul; n I flt ɖen ɖt I śd svîv t xibit ẃt I śl sn sīs t b—a mizṛbl specṭcl v rect hymaṇti, pitịbl t uɖrz n intolṛbl t mslf.

W pást a cnsidṛbl pirịd at Oxf̣d, ramḅlñ amñ its invîṛnz n indeṿrñ t îdnṭfî evri spot ẃć mt rlet t ɖ most aṇmetñ eṗc v Ñgliś hisṭri. Ǎr litl voyjz v dscuṿri wr ofn pṛloñd bî ɖ s’xesiv objicts ɖt prizntd ɖmslvz. W viẓtd ɖ tūm v ɖ ilustrịs Hamdn n ɖ fīld on ẃć ɖt petrịt fél. Fr a momnt mî soul wz eḷvetd fṛm its dbesñ n mizṛbl firz t contmplet ɖ dvîn îdīaz v liḅti n slf-sacṛfîs v ẃć ɖz sîts wr ɖ mońmnts n ɖ rmembṛnsrz. Fr an instnt I derd t śec of mî ćenz n lc arnd m wɖ a fri n lofti spirit, bt ɖ ayn hd ītn intu mî fleś, n I sanc agn, tremḅlñ n hoplis, intu mî mizṛbl slf.

W left Oxf̣d wɖ rgret n pṛsidd t Matloc, ẃć wz ǎr nxt ples v rest. Ɖ cuntri in ɖ nebrhd v ɖs vilij rzmbld, t a gretr dgri, ɖ sìṇri v Switṣḷnd; bt evrʈñ z on a lowr scel, n ɖ grīn hilz wont ɖ crǎn v distnt ẃît Alps ẃć olwz atnd on ɖ pîni mǎntinz v mî netiv cuntri. W viẓtd ɖ wundṛs cev n ɖ litl cabiṇts v naćṛl hisṭri, ẃr ɖ krioṣtiz r dspozd in ɖ sem manr az in ɖ c’lex́nz at Servoz n Śaṃnī. Ɖ latr nem md m trembl ẃn pṛnǎnst bî Õri, n I hesnd t qit Matloc, wɖ ẃć ɖt teṛbl sīn wz ɖus asośietd.

Fṛm Darbi, stl jrniyñ norʈẉdz, w pást tū munʈs in Cumbḷnd n Wstṃland. I cd nǎ olmst fansi mslf amñ ɖ Swis mǎntinz. Ɖ litl paćz v sno ẃć yt lingrd on ɖ norɖn sîdz v ɖ mǎntinz, ɖ lecs, n ɖ daśñ v ɖ roci strīmz wr ol fmiłr n dir sîts t m. Hir olso w md sm aqentnsz, hu olmst cntrîvd t ćīt m intu hapinis. Ɖ dlît v Clerval wz pṛporśṇbli gretr ɖn mîn; hiz mînd xpandd in ɖ cumṗni v men v taḷnt, n h faund in hiz ǒn nećr gretr cpaṣtiz n rzorsz ɖn h cd hv imajind himslf t hv pzest ẃl h asośietd wɖ hiz infirịrz. “I cd pas mî lîf hir,” sd h t m; “n amñ ɖz mǎntinz I śd scersli rgret Switṣḷnd n ɖ Rîn.”

Bt h faund ɖt a travlr’z lîf z wn ɖt includz mć pen amdst its injômnts. Hiz fīlñz r fr evr on ɖ streć; n ẃn h bginz t snc intu rpoz, h fîndz himslf oblîjd t qit ɖt on ẃć h rests in pleźr fr smʈñ ny, ẃć agn ingejz hiz atnśn, n ẃć olso h forsecs fr uɖr novltiz.

W hd scersli viẓtd ɖ verịs lecs v Cumbḷnd n Wstṃland n cnsivd an afx́n fr sm v ɖ inhabitnts ẃn ɖ pirịd v ǎr apôntmnt wɖ ǎr Scoć frend aproćt, n w left ɖm t travl on. Fr mî ǒn part I wz nt sori. I hd nǎ nglectd mî promis fr sm tîm, n I fird ɖ ifcts v ɖ dīmn’z dis’pôntmnt. H mt rmen in Switṣḷnd n rīc hiz vnjns on mî reḷtivz. Ɖs îdīa psyd m n tormntd m at evri momnt fṛm ẃć I mt uɖ̇̇wz hv snaćt rpoz n pīs. I wêtd fr mî letrz wɖ fīṿriś impeśns; f ɖe wr dleid I wz mizṛbl n oṿcm bî a ʈǎznd firz; n ẃn ɖe arîvd n I sw ɖ sūṗscripśn v Iliẓbʈ or mî faɖr, I hardli derd t rīd n aṣten mî fet. Smtmz I ʈt ɖt ɖ fīnd foloud m n mt xṗdît mî rmisnis bî mrḍrñ mî cmpańn. Ẃn ɖz ʈts pzest m, I wd nt qit Õri fr a momnt, bt foloud him az hiz śado, t pṛtct him fṛm ɖ fansid rej v hiz dstroyr. I flt az f I hd cmitd sm gret crîm, ɖ conśsnis v ẃć hōntd m. I wz giltlis, bt I hd indd drwn dǎn a hoṛbl crs upn mî hed, az mortl az ɖt v crîm.

I viẓtd Ednbra wɖ lanḡd îz n mînd; n yt ɖt siti mt hv inṭrestd ɖ most unforćṇt biyñ. Clerval dd nt lîc it so wel az Oxf̣d, fr ɖ antiqti v ɖ latr siti wz mor plizñ t him. Bt ɖ byti n reğlaṛti v ɖ ny tǎn v Ednbra, its r’mantic casl n its invîṛnz, ɖ most dlîtfl in ɖ wrld, Arʈr’z Sīt, St. Brṇd’z Wel, n ɖ Pntḷnd Hilz compnsetd him fr ɖ ćenj n fild him wɖ ćirflnis n adṃreśn. Bt I wz impeśnt t arîv at ɖ trṃneśn v mî jrni.

W left Ednbra in a wīc, pasñ ʈru Cpr, St. Andru’z, n alñ ɖ bancs v ɖ Te, t Prʈ, ẃr ǎr frend xpctd s. Bt I wz in no mūd t laf n tōc wɖ strenjrz or entr intu ɖer fīlñz or planz wɖ ɖ gd hymr xpctd fṛm a gest; n acordñli I tld Clerval ɖt I wśt t mc ɖ tur v Scotḷnd alon. “D y,” sd I, “injô yrslf, n let ɖs b ǎr rondivu. I me b absnt a munʈ or tū; bt d nt inṭfir wɖ mî mośnz, I intrit y; līv m t pīs n soḷtyd fr a śort tîm; n ẃn I rtrn, I hop it wl b wɖ a lîtr hart, mor cnjīńl t yr ǒn tmpr.”

Õri wśt t dswed m, bt siyñ m bnt on ɖs plan, sīst t remnstret. H intritd m t rait ofn. “I hd rɖr b wɖ y,” h sd, “in yr solitri ramblz, ɖn wɖ ɖz Scoć ppl, hūm I d nt nǒ; hesn, ɖen, mî dir frend, t rtrn, ɖt I me agn fīl mslf smẃt at hom, ẃć I canot d in yr absns.”

Hvñ partd fṛm mî frend, I dtrmind t vizit sm rmot spot v Scotḷnd n finiś mî wrc in soḷtyd. I dd nt dǎt bt ɖt ɖ monstr foloud m n wd dscuvr himslf t m ẃn I śd hv finiśt, ɖt h mt rsiv hiz cmpańn.

Wɖ ɖs reẓluśn I tṛvrst ɖ norɖn hîḷndz n fixt on wn v ɖ rmotist v ɖ Orcniz az ɖ sīn v mî lebrz. It wz a ples fitd fr sć a wrc, biyñ hardli mor ɖn a roc huz hî sîdz wr cntińli bìtn upn bî ɖ wevz. Ɖ sôl wz baṛn, scersli afordñ pasćr fr a fy mizṛbl cǎz, n otmīl fr its inhabitnts, ẃć cnsistd v fîv prsnz, huz gōnt n scragi limz gev tocnz v ɖer mizṛbl fér. Vejtblz n bred, ẃn ɖe induljd in sć lux̣́riz, n īvn freś wōtr, wz t b pṛkrd fṛm ɖ mn-ḷnd, ẃć wz abt fîv mîlz distnt.

On ɖ hol îḷnd ɖr wr bt ʈri mizṛbl huts, n wn v ɖz wz vecnt ẃn I arîvd. Ɖs I hîrd. It cntend bt tū rūmz, n ɖz xibtd ol ɖ sqolidnis v ɖ most mizṛbl peńri. Ɖ ʈać hd fōḷn in, ɖ wōlz wr unplastrd, n ɖ dor wz of its hinjz. I ordrd it t b rperd, bòt sm frnićr, n tc pześn, an insidnt ẃć wd dǎtlis hv oceźnd sm s’prîz hd nt ol ɖ snsz v ɖ cotijrz bn bnumd bî wont n sqolid poṿti. Az it wz, I livd ungezd at n unṃlestd, hardli ʈanct fr ɖ piṭns v fūd n cloɖz ẃć I gev, so mć dz suf̣rñ blunt īvn ɖ cōrsist snseśnz v men.

In ɖs rtrit I dvotd ɖ mornñ t lebr; bt in ɖ īvnñ, ẃn ɖ weɖr pmitd, I wōct on ɖ stoni bīć v ɖ sì t lisn t ɖ wevz az ɖe rord n daśt at mî fīt. It wz a mnotṇs yt evr-ćenjñ sīn. I ʈt v Switṣḷnd; it wz far difṛnt fṛm ɖs dezḷt n apōlñ lanscep. Its hilz r cuvrd wɖ vînz, n its coṭjz r scatrd ʈicli in ɖ plenz. Its fer lecs rflect a blu n jntl scî, n ẃn trubld bî ɖ windz, ɖer tymult z bt az ɖ ple v a lîvli inf̣nt ẃn cmperd t ɖ rorñz v ɖ jaynt ośn.

In ɖs manr I dstribytd mî okpeśnz ẃn I frst arîvd, bt az I pṛsidd in mî lebr, it bcem evri de mor hoṛbl n rcsm t m. Smtmz I cd nt privel on mslf t entr mî l’boṛtri fr sevṛl dez, n at uɖr tîmz I tôld de n nît in ordr t cmplit mî wrc. It wz, indd, a filʈi proses in ẃć I wz ingejd. Jrñ mî frst xperimnt, a cnd v inʈyziastic frenzi hd blîndd m t ɖ horr v mî implômnt; mî mînd wz intntli fixt on ɖ consymeśn v mî lebr, n mî îz wr śut t ɖ horr v mî pṛsidñz. Bt nǎ I wnt t it in cold blud, n mî hart ofn sicnd at ɖ wrc v mî handz.

Ɖus sićuetd, imploid in ɖ most dtstbl okpeśn, imrst in a soḷtyd ẃr nʈñ cd fr an instnt cōl mî atnśn fṛm ɖ acćl sīn in ẃć I wz ingejd, mî spirits bcem unīql; I grù restlis n nrṿs. Evri momnt I fird t mīt mî prṣktr. Smtmz I sat wɖ mî îz fixt on ɖ grǎnd, firñ t rêz ɖm lest ɖe śd incǎntr ɖ objict ẃć I so mć dredd t bhold. I fird t wondr fṛm ɖ sît v mî felocrīćrz lest ẃn alon h śd cm t clem hiz cmpańn.

In ɖ mntm I wrct on, n mî lebr wz olrdi cnsidṛbli advanst. I lct twdz its cmpliśn wɖ a treḿḷs n īgr hop, ẃć I derd nt trust mslf t qsćn bt ẃć wz inṭmixt wɖ obskr fōrbodñz v īvl ɖt md mî hart sicn in mî bŭzm.

Īvn f ɖe wr t līv Yṛp n inhabit ɖ deẓts v ɖ ny wrld, yt wn v ɖ frst rzults v ɖoz simṗʈiz fr ẃć ɖ dīmn ʈrstd wd b ćildṛn, n a res v devlz wd b proṗgetd upn ɖ rʈ hu mt mc ɖ vri xistns v ɖ spīśīz v man a cndiśn pricerịs n fl v terr. Hd I rît, fr mî ǒn beṇfit, t inflict ɖs crs upn eṿlastñ jeṇreśnz? I hd bfr bn muvd bî ɖ sofizmz v ɖ biyñ I hd crietd; I hd bn struc snslis bî hiz fīndiś ʈrets; bt nǎ, fr ɖ frst tîm, ɖ wicidnis v mî promis brst upn m; I śudrd t ʈnc ɖt fyćr ejz mt crs m az ɖer pst, huz slfiśnis hd nt heztetd t bai its ǒn pīs at ɖ prîs, phps, v ɖ xistns v ɖ hol hymn res.

I trembld n mî hart feld wɖn m, ẃn, on lcñ p, I sw bî ɖ lît v ɖ mūn ɖ dīmn at ɖ cesmnt. A gastli grin rincld hiz lips az h gezd on m, ẃr I sat flfilñ ɖ tasc ẃć h hd alotd t m. Yes, h hd foloud m in mî travlz; h hd lôtrd in forists, hid himslf in cevz, or tecn refyj in wîd n deẓt hīʈs; n h nǎ cem t marc mî progres n clem ɖ flfilmnt v mî promis.

Az I lct on him, hiz cǎntinns xprest ɖ utmost xtnt v malis n treć̣ri. I ʈt wɖ a snseśn v madnis on mî promis v crietñ anɖr lîc t him, n tremḅlñ wɖ paśn, tòr t pìsz ɖ ʈñ on ẃć I wz ingejd. Ɖ reć sw m dstrô ɖ crīćr on huz fyćr xistns h dpndd fr hapinis, n wɖ a hǎl v deṿliś dsper n rvnj, wɖdru.

I left ɖ rūm, n locñ ɖ dor, md a soḷm vǎ in mî ǒn hart nvr t rzym mî lebrz; n ɖen, wɖ tremḅlñ steps, I sòt mî ǒn apartmnt. I wz alon; nn wr nir m t diṣpet ɖ glūm n rliv m fṛm ɖ sic̣nñ opreśn v ɖ most teṛbl reṿriz.

Sevṛl aurz pást, n I rmend nir mî windo gezñ on ɖ sì; it wz olmst mośnlis, fr ɖ windz wr huśt, n ol nećr rpozd undr ɖ î v ɖ qayt mūn. A fy fiśñ veslz alon spect ɖ wōtr, n nǎ n ɖen ɖ jntl brīz woftd ɖ sǎnd v vôsz az ɖ fiśrṃn cōld t wn anɖr. I flt ɖ sîḷns, olɖo I wz hardli conśs v its xtrim pṛfundti, untl mî ir wz sudnli arestd bî ɖ paḍlñ v òrz nir ɖ śor, n a prsn landd clos t mî hǎs.

In a fy minits aftr, I hŕd ɖ crīcñ v mî dor, az f smwn indevrd t opn it softli. I trembld fṛm hed t ft; I flt a prizntimnt v hu it wz n wśt t rǎz wn v ɖ peznts hu dwelt in a cotij nt far fṛm mîn; bt I wz oṿcm bî ɖ snseśn v hlplisnis, so ofn flt in frîtfl drīmz, ẃn y in ven indevr t flî fṛm an impndñ denjr, n wz rūtd t ɖ spot. Prezntli I hŕd ɖ sǎnd v ftsteps alñ ɖ pasij; ɖ dor opnd, n ɖ reć hūm I dredd apird.

Śutñ ɖ dor, h aproćt m n sd in a smuɖrd vôs, “Y hv dstroid ɖ wrc ẃć y bgan; ẃt z it ɖt y intnd? D y der t brec yr promis? I hv indyrd tôl n miẓri; I left Switṣḷnd wɖ y; I crept alñ ɖ śorz v ɖ Rîn, amñ its wilo-îḷndz n ovr ɖ sumits v its hilz. I hv dwelt mni munʈs in ɖ hīʈs v Ñgḷnd n amñ ɖ deẓts v Scotḷnd. I hv indyrd incalkḷbl ftīg, n cold, n hungr; d y der dstrô mî hops?”

“Bgon! I d brec mî promis; nvr wl I criet anɖr lîc yrslf, īql in dforṃti n wicidnis.”

“Slev, I bfr rīznd wɖ y, bt y hv pruvd yrslf unwrɖi v mî condisnśn. Rmembr ɖt I hv pǎr; y b’liv yrslf mizṛbl, bt I cn mc y so rećid ɖt ɖ lît v de wl b hetfl t y. Y r mî crietr, bt I am yr mastr; obe!”

“Ɖ aur v mî ireẓluśn z past, n ɖ pirịd v yr pǎr z arîvd. Yr ʈrets canot muv m t d an act v wicidnis; bt ɖe cnfrm m in a dtrṃneśn v nt crietñ y a cmpańn in vîs. Śl I, in cūl blud, set lūs upn ɖ rʈ a dīmn huz dlît z in deʈ n rećidnis? Bgon! I am frm, n yr wrdz wl onli xasṗret mî rej.”

Ɖ monstr sw mî dtrṃneśn in mî fes n náśt hiz tīʈ in ɖ imṗtns v angr. “Śl ć man,” craid h, “fînd a wîf fr hiz bŭzm, n ć bīst hv hiz mêt, n I b alon? I hd fīlñz v afx́n, n ɖe wr rqîtd bî dītsteśn n scorn. Man! Y me het, bt bwer! Yr aurz wl pas in dred n miẓri, n sn ɖ bolt wl fōl ẃć mst raviś fṛm y yr hapinis fr evr. R y t b hapi ẃl I grovl in ɖ intnṣti v mî rećidnis? Y cn blast mî uɖr paśnz, bt rvnj rmenz—rvnj, hnsfʈ dirr ɖn lît or fūd! I me dî, bt frst y, mî tîṛnt n Tormntr, śl crs ɖ sún ɖt gezz on yr miẓri. Bwer, fr I am firlis n ɖrfr pǎrfl. I wl woć wɖ ɖ wîlinis v a snec, ɖt I me stñ wɖ its venm. Man, y śl rpnt v ɖ inɉriz y inflict.”

“Devl, sīs; n d nt pôzn ɖ er wɖ ɖz sǎndz v malis. I hv dclerd mî reẓluśn t y, n I am no cawd t bnd bnʈ wrdz. Līv m; I am inexṛbl.”

“It z wel. I g; bt rmembr, I śl b wɖ y on yr wedñnît.”

I startd fwd n xclemd, “Viḷn! Bfr y sîn mî deʈwoṛnt, b śr ɖt y r yrslf sef.”

I wd hv sizd him, bt h iludd m n qitd ɖ hǎs wɖ prisiṗteśn. In a fy momnts I sw him in hiz bot, ẃć śot acrs ɖ wōtrz wɖ an arǒi swiftnis n wz sn lost amdst ɖ wevz.

Ol wz agn sîḷnt, bt hiz wrdz rañ in mî irz. I brnd wɖ rej t psy ɖ mrdrr v mî pīs n prisiṗtet him intu ɖ ośn. I wōct p n dǎn mî rūm hesṭli n ptrbd, ẃl mî imaɉneśn cunjrd p a ʈǎznd iṃjz t torment n stñ m. Ẃ hd I nt foloud him n clozd wɖ him in mortl strîf? Bt I hd sufrd him t dpart, n h hd d’rectd hiz cors twdz ɖ mn-ḷnd. I śudrd t ʈnc hu mt b ɖ nxt victim sacṛfîst t hiz inseśiet rvnj. N ɖen I ʈt agn v hiz wrdz—”I WL B WƉ Y ON YR WEDÑNÎT.” Ɖt, ɖen, wz ɖ pirịd fixt fr ɖ flfilmnt v mî desṭni. In ɖt aur I śd dî n at wns saṭsfî n xtnḡś hiz malis. Ɖ prospect dd nt muv m t fir; yt ẃn I ʈt v mî b’luvid Iliẓbʈ, v hr tirz n endlis soro, ẃn ś śd fînd hr luvr so barbṛsli snaćt fṛm hr, tirz, ɖ frst I hd śed fr mni munʈs, strīmd fṛm mî îz, n I rzolvd nt t fōl bfr mî eṇmi wɖt a bitr strugl.

Ɖ nît pást awe, n ɖ sún rouz fṛm ɖ ośn; mî fīlñz bcem cāmr, f it me b cōld cāmnis ẃn ɖ vayḷns v rej sncs intu ɖ depʈs v dsper. I left ɖ hǎs, ɖ horid sīn v ɖ last nît’s cntnśn, n wōct on ɖ bīć v ɖ sì, ẃć I olmst rgardd az an insūpṛbl barịr btwn m n mî felocrīćrz; nê, a wś ɖt sć śd pruv ɖ fact stoul acrs m.

I dzîrd ɖt I mt pas mî lîf on ɖt baṛn roc, wiṛli, it z tru, bt uninṭruptd bî eni sudn śoc v miẓri. F I rtrnd, it wz t b sacṛfîst or t si ɖoz hūm I most luvd dî undr ɖ grasp v a dīmn hūm I hd mslf crietd.

I wōct abt ɖ îl lîc a restlis spectr, seṗretd fṛm ol it luvd n mizṛbl in ɖ seṗreśn. Ẃn it bcem nūn, n ɖ sún rouz hayr, I lei dǎn on ɖ gras n wz oṿpǎrd bî a dīp slīp. I hd bn awec ɖ hol v ɖ prisidñ nît, mî nrvz wr ajtetd, n mî îz inflemd bî woćñ n miẓri. Ɖ slīp intu ẃć I nǎ sanc rfreśt m; n ẃn I awouc, I agn flt az f I b’loñd t a res v hymn biyñz lîc mslf, n I bgan t rflect upn ẃt hd pást wɖ gretr cmpoźr; yt stl ɖ wrdz v ɖ fīnd rañ in mî irz lîc a deʈnel; ɖe apird lîc a drīm, yt dstñt n opresiv az a riaḷti.

Ɖ sún hd far dsndd, n I stl sat on ɖ śor, saṭsfayñ mî aṗtît, ẃć hd bcm ravṇs, wɖ an otn cec, ẃn I sw a fiśñbot land clos t m, n wn v ɖ men bròt m a pacit; it cntend letrz fṛm Jnīva, n wn fṛm Clerval intritñ m t jôn him. H sd ɖt h wz wẹrñ awe hiz tîm frūtlisli ẃr h wz, ɖt letrz fṛm ɖ frendz h hd formd in Lundn dzîrd hiz rtrn t cmplit ɖ ngośieśn ɖe hd entrd intu fr hiz Indịn enṭprîz. H cd nt eni longr dle hiz dparćr; bt az hiz jrni t Lundn mt b foloud, īvn snr ɖn h nǎ cnjcćrd, bî hiz longr vôij, h intritd m t bsto az mć v mî ssayti on him az I cd sper. H bsōt m, ɖrfr, t līv mî solitri îl n t mīt him at Prʈ, ɖt w mt pṛsid sǎʈẉdz tgɖr. Ɖs letr in a dgri rcōld m t lîf, n I dtrmind t qit mî îḷnd at ɖ xṗreśn v tū dez. Yt, bfr I dpartd, ɖr wz a tasc t pform, on ẃć I śudrd t rflect; I mst pac p mî cemicl instṛmnts, n fr ɖt prṗs I mst entr ɖ rūm ẃć hd bn ɖ sīn v mî odịs wrc, n I mst handl ɖoz ytnslz ɖ sît v ẃć wz sic̣nñ t m. Ɖ nxt mornñ, at dêbrec, I sumnd sfiśnt curij n unloct ɖ dor v mî l’boṛtri. Ɖ rmenz v ɖ haf-finiśt crīćr, hūm I hd dstroid, lei scatrd on ɖ flor, n I olmst flt az f I hd mangld ɖ livñ fleś v a hymn biyñ. I pōzd t c’lect mslf n ɖen entrd ɖ ćembr. Wɖ tremḅlñ hand I cnveid ɖ instṛmnts ǎt v ɖ rūm, bt I rflectd ɖt I òt nt t līv ɖ relics v mî wrc t xît ɖ horr n sspiśn v ɖ peznts; n I acordñli pt ɖm intu a bascit, wɖ a gret qontti v stonz, n leyñ ɖm p, dtrmind t ʈro ɖm intu ɖ sì ɖt vri nît; n in ɖ mntm I sat upn ɖ bīć, imploid in clīnñ n arenjñ mî cemicl aṗreṭs.

Nʈñ cd b mor cmplit ɖn ɖ olṭreśn ɖt hd tecn ples in mî fīlñz sins ɖ nît v ɖ apiṛns v ɖ dīmn. I hd bfr rgardd mî promis wɖ a glūmi dsper az a ʈñ ɖt, wɖ ẃtvr consiqnsz, mst b flfild; bt I nǎ flt az f a film hd bn tecn fṛm bfr mî îz n ɖt I fr ɖ frst tîm sw clirli. Ɖ îdīa v rnywñ mî lebrz dd nt fr wn instnt ocŕ t m; ɖ ʈret I hd hŕd weid on mî ʈts, bt I dd nt rflect ɖt a voḷntri act v mîn cd avrt it. I hd rzolvd in mî ǒn mînd ɖt t criet anɖr lîc ɖ fīnd I hd frst md wd b an act v ɖ besist n most atrośs slfiśnis, n I baniśt fṛm mî mînd evri ʈt ɖt cd līd t a difṛnt cncluźn.

Btwn tū n ʈri in ɖ mornñ ɖ mūn rouz; n I ɖen, ptñ mî bascit abōrd a litl scif, sêld ǎt abt for mîlz fṛm ɖ śor. Ɖ sīn wz prf̣cli solitri; a fy bots wr rtrnñ twdz land, bt I sêld awe fṛm ɖm. I flt az f I wz abt ɖ cmiśn v a dredfl crîm n avôdd wɖ śuḍrñ añzayti eni incǎntr wɖ mî felocrīćrz. At wn tîm ɖ mūn, ẃć hd bfr bn clir, wz sudnli oṿspred bî a ʈic clǎd, n I tc advantij v ɖ momnt v darcnis n cast mî bascit intu ɖ sì; I lisnd t ɖ grġlñ sǎnd az it sanc n ɖen sêld awe fṛm ɖ spot. Ɖ scî bcem clǎdd, bt ɖ er wz pyr, olɖo ćild bî ɖ norʈīst brīz ɖt wz ɖen rîzñ. Bt it rfreśt m n fild m wɖ sć agriybl snseśnz ɖt I rzolvd t pṛloñ mî ste on ɖ wōtr, n fixñ ɖ rudr in a d’rect pziśn, strećt mslf at ɖ botm v ɖ bot. Clǎdz hid ɖ mūn, evrʈñ wz obskr, n I hŕd onli ɖ sǎnd v ɖ bot az its cīl cut ʈru ɖ wevz; ɖ mrmr luld m, n in a śort tîm I slept sǎndli. I d nt nǒ hǎ loñ I rmend in ɖs sićueśn, bt ẃn I awouc I faund ɖt ɖ sún hd olrdi mǎntd cnsidṛbli. Ɖ wind wz hî, n ɖ wevz cntińli ʈretnd ɖ sefti v mî litl scif. I faund ɖt ɖ wind wz norʈīst n mst hv drivn m far fṛm ɖ cǒst fṛm ẃć I hd imbarct. I indevrd t ćenj mî cors bt qcli faund ɖt f I agn md ɖ atmt ɖ bot wd b instntli fild wɖ wōtr. Ɖus sićuetd, mî onli rzors wz t drîv bfr ɖ wind. I cnfes ɖt I flt a fy snseśnz v terr. I hd no cumṗs wɖ m n wz so slendrli aqentd wɖ ɖ jiogṛfi v ɖs part v ɖ wrld ɖt ɖ sún wz v litl beṇfit t m. I mt b drivn intu ɖ wîd Atlantic n fīl ol ɖ torćrz v starveśn or b swoloud p in ɖ imeźṛbl wōtrz ɖt rord n buf̣td arnd m. I hd olrdi bn ǎt mni aurz n flt ɖ torment v a brnñ ʈrst, a prelyd t mî uɖr suf̣rñz. I lct on ɖ hevnz, ẃć wr cuvrd bî clǎdz ɖt flù bfr ɖ wind, onli t b rplest bî uɖrz; I lct upn ɖ sì; it wz t b mî grev. “Fīnd,” I xclemd, “yr tasc z olrdi flfild!” I ʈt v Iliẓbʈ, v mî faɖr, n v Clerval—ol left bhnd, on hūm ɖ monstr mt saṭsfî hiz sanḡnri n mrsilis paśnz. Ɖs îdīa plunjd m intu a reṿri so dsperñ n frîtfl ɖt īvn nǎ, ẃn ɖ sīn z on ɖ pônt v clozñ bfr m fr evr, I śudr t rflect on it.

Sm aurz pást ɖus; bt bî dgriz, az ɖ sún dclînd twdz ɖ hrîzn, ɖ wind daid awe intu a jntl brīz n ɖ sì bcem fri fṛm brecrz. Bt ɖz gev ples t a hevi swel; I flt sic n hardli ebl t hold ɖ rudr, ẃn sudnli I sw a lîn v hî land twdz ɖ sǎʈ.

Olmst spent, az I wz, bî ftīg n ɖ dredfl sspns I indyrd fr sevṛl aurz, ɖs sudn srtnti v lîf ruśt lîc a flud v worm jô t mî hart, n tirz guśt fṛm mî îz.

Hǎ ḿṭbl r ǎr fīlñz, n hǎ strenj z ɖt clññ luv w hv v lîf īvn in ɖ xes v miẓri! I cnstructd anɖr sêl wɖ a part v mî dres n īgrli stird mî cors twdz ɖ land. It hd a wîld n roci apiṛns, bt az I aproćt nirr I īẓli psivd ɖ tresz v cultveśn. I sw veslz nir ɖ śor n faund mslf sudnli trnsportd bac t ɖ nebrhd v siṿlîzd man. I cerf̣li trest ɖ wîndñz v ɖ land n hêld a stīpl ẃć I at leñʈ sw iśuwñ fṛm bhnd a smōl proṃntri. Az I wz in a stet v xtrim dbiḷti, I rzolvd t sêl d’recli twdz ɖ tǎn, az a ples ẃr I cd most īẓli pṛkr nuriśmnt. Forćṇtli I hd muni wɖ m.

Az I trnd ɖ proṃntri I psivd a smōl nīt tǎn n a gd harbr, ẃć I entrd, mî hart bǎndñ wɖ jô at mî unixpctd iscep.

Az I wz okpaid in fixñ ɖ bot n arenjñ ɖ sêlz, sevṛl ppl crǎdd twdz ɖ spot. Ɖe sīmd mć s’prîzd at mî apiṛns, bt instd v of̣rñ m eni asistns, ẃisprd tgɖr wɖ jsćrz ɖt at eni uɖr tîm mt hv pṛdyst in m a slît snseśn v alarm. Az it wz, I mirli rmarct ɖt ɖe spouc Ñgliś, n I ɖrfr adrest ɖm in ɖt lanḡj. “Mî gd frendz,” sd I, “wl y b so cînd az t tel m ɖ nem v ɖs tǎn n inform m ẃr I am?”

“Y wl nǒ ɖt sn inuf,” rplaid a man wɖ a hōrs vôs. “Mbi y r cm t a ples ɖt wl nt pruv mć t yr test, bt y wl nt b cnsultd az t yr qortrz, I promis y.”

I wz xidñli s’prîzd on rsivñ so rūd an ansr fṛm a strenjr, n I wz olso discnsrtd on psivñ ɖ frǎnñ n angri cǎntinnsz v hiz cmpańnz. “Ẃ d y ansr m so rufli?” I rplaid. “Śrli it z nt ɖ custm v Ñgliśṃn t rsiv strenjrz so inhspitbli.”

“I d nt nǒ,” sd ɖ man, “ẃt ɖ custm v ɖ Ñgliś me b, bt it z ɖ custm v ɖ Îriś t het vilnz.” Ẃl ɖs strenj daylog cntinyd, I psivd ɖ crǎd rapidli incris. Ɖer fesz xprest a mixćr v krioṣti n angr, ẃć anoid n in sm dgri alarmd m.

I inqîrd ɖ we t ɖ ín, bt nwn rplaid. I ɖen muvd fwd, n a mrṃrñ sǎnd arouz fṛm ɖ crǎd az ɖe foloud n srǎndd m, ẃn an il-lcñ man aproćñ tapt m on ɖ śoldr n sd, “Cm, sr, y mst folo m t Mr. Crwn’z t gv an acǎnt v yrslf.”

“Hu z Mr. Crwn? Ẃ am I t gv an acǎnt v mslf? Z nt ɖs a fri cuntri?”

“Ai, sr, fri inuf fr onist focs. Mr. Crwn z a maɉstret, n y r t gv an acǎnt v ɖ deʈ v a jntlmn hu wz faund mrdrd hir last nît.”

Ɖs ansr startld m, bt I prezntli rcuvrd mslf. I wz iṇsnt; ɖt cd īẓli b pruvd; acordñli I foloud mî cnductr in sîḷns n wz léd t wn v ɖ bst hǎzz in ɖ tǎn. I wz redi t snc fṛm ftīg n hungr, bt biyñ srǎndd bî a crǎd, I ʈt it poḷtic t rǎz ol mî streñʈ, ɖt no fizicl dbiḷti mt b cnstrùd intu aprihnśn or conśs gilt. Litl dd I ɖen xpct ɖ c’laṃti ɖt wz in a fy momnts t oṿẃlm m n xtnḡś in horr n dsper ol fir v igṇmini or deʈ.

I mst pōz hir, fr it rqîrz ol mî forttyd t rcōl ɖ meṃri v ɖ frîtfl ivnts ẃć I am abt t rlet, in propr dītel, t mî rec̣lex́n.

Abt haf a duzn men cem fwd; n, wn biyñ s’lectd bî ɖ maɉstret, h dpozd ɖt h hd bn ǎt fiśñ ɖ nît bfr wɖ hiz sun n bruɖr-in-lw, Dańl Ńjnt, ẃn, abt ten o’cloc, ɖe obzrvd a stroñ norɖ̇̇li blast rîzñ, n ɖe acordñli pt in fr port. It wz a vri darc nît, az ɖ mūn hd nt yt rizn; ɖe dd nt land at ɖ harbr, bt, az ɖe hd bn acustmd, at a crìc abt tū mîlz b’lo. H wōct on frst, cariyñ a part v ɖ fiśñtacl, n hiz cmpańnz foloud him at sm distns.

Az h wz pṛsidñ alñ ɖ sandz, h struc hiz ft agnst smʈñ n fél at hiz leñʈ on ɖ grǎnd. Hiz cmpańnz cem p t asist him, n bî ɖ lît v ɖer lantn ɖe faund ɖt h hd fōḷn on ɖ bodi v a man, hu wz t ol apiṛns ded. Ɖer frst supziśn wz ɖt it wz ɖ corps v sm prsn hu hd bn drǎnd n wz ʈroun on śor bî ɖ wevz, bt on xaṃneśn ɖe faund ɖt ɖ cloɖz wr nt wet n īvn ɖt ɖ bodi wz nt ɖen cold. Ɖe instntli carid it t ɖ cotij v an old wmn nir ɖ spot n indevrd, bt in ven, t rstor it t lîf. It apird t b a hansm yuñ man, abt fîv n twenti yirz v ej. H hd apaṛntli bn strangld, fr ɖr wz no sîn v eni vayḷns xpt ɖ blac marc v fngrz on hiz nec.

Ɖ frst part v ɖs dīṗziśn dd nt in ɖ līst inṭrest m, bt ẃn ɖ marc v ɖ fngrz wz mnśnd I rmembrd ɖ mrdr v mî bruɖr n flt mslf xtrimli ajtetd; mî limz trembld, n a mist cem ovr mî îz, ẃć oblîjd m t līn on a ćer fr s’port. Ɖ maɉstret obzrvd m wɖ a cīn î n v cors drù an unfevṛbl ōğri fṛm mî manr.

Ɖ sun cnfrmd hiz faɖr’z acǎnt, bt ẃn Dańl Ńjnt wz cōld h swòr poztivli ɖt jst bfr ɖ fōl v hiz cmpańn, h sw a bot, wɖ a sngl man in it, at a śort distns fṛm ɖ śor; n az far az h cd juj bî ɖ lît v a fy starz, it wz ɖ sem bot in ẃć I hd jst landd. A wmn dpozd ɖt ś livd nir ɖ bīć n wz standñ at ɖ dor v hr cotij, wêtñ fr ɖ rtrn v ɖ fiśrṃn, abt an aur bfr ś hŕd v ɖ dscuṿri v ɖ bodi, ẃn ś sw a bot wɖ onli wn man in it pś of fṛm ɖt part v ɖ śor ẃr ɖ corps wz aftwdz faund.

Anɖr wmn cnfrmd ɖ acǎnt v ɖ fiśrṃn hvñ bròt ɖ bodi intu hr hǎs; it wz nt cold. Ɖe pt it intu a bed n rubd it, n Dańl wnt t ɖ tǎn fr an apoʈ̇cri, bt lîf wz qt gn.

Sevṛl uɖr men wr xamind cnsrnñ mî landñ, n ɖe agrìd ɖt, wɖ ɖ stroñ norʈ wind ɖt hd arizn jrñ ɖ nît, it wz vri probbl ɖt I hd bìtn abt fr mni aurz n hd bn oblîjd t rtrn nirli t ɖ sem spot fṛm ẃć I hd dpartd. Bsdz, ɖe obzrvd ɖt it apird ɖt I hd bròt ɖ bodi fṛm anɖr ples, n it wz lîcli ɖt az I dd nt apir t nǒ ɖ śor, I mt hv pt intu ɖ harbr ignṛnt v ɖ distns v ɖ tǎn v —— fṛm ɖ ples ẃr I hd dpoztd ɖ corps.

Mr. Crwn, on hírñ ɖs evidns, dzîrd ɖt I śd b tecn intu ɖ rūm ẃr ɖ bodi lei fr intrmnt, ɖt it mt b obzrvd ẃt ifct ɖ sît v it wd pṛdys upn m. Ɖs îdīa wz probbli sjstd bî ɖ xtrim ajteśn I hd xibtd ẃn ɖ mod v ɖ mrdr hd bn dscrîbd. I wz acordñli cnductd, bî ɖ maɉstret n sevṛl uɖr prsnz, t ɖ ín. I cd nt hlp biyñ struc bî ɖ strenj cǒinsdnsz ɖt hd tecn ples jrñ ɖs ivntfl nît; bt, nwñ ɖt I hd bn cnvrsñ wɖ sevṛl prsnz in ɖ îḷnd I hd inhaḅtd abt ɖ tîm ɖt ɖ bodi hd bn faund, I wz prf̣cli tranqil az t ɖ consiqnsz v ɖ afer. I entrd ɖ rūm ẃr ɖ corps lei n wz léd p t ɖ cofin. Hǎ cn I dscrîb mî snseśnz on bholdñ it? I fīl yt parćt wɖ horr, nr cn I rflect on ɖt teṛbl momnt wɖt śuḍrñ n aġni. Ɖ xaṃneśn, ɖ prezns v ɖ maɉstret n witṇsz, pást lîc a drīm fṛm mî meṃri ẃn I sw ɖ lîflis form v Õri Clerval strećt bfr m. I gaspt fr breʈ, n ʈrowñ mslf on ɖ bodi, I xclemd, “Hv mî mrdṛs maṣ́neśnz dprîvd y olso, mî dirist Õri, v lîf? Tū I hv olrdi dstroid; uɖr victimz awêt ɖer desṭni; bt y, Clerval, mî frend, mî beṇfactr—”

Ɖ hymn frem cd no longr s’port ɖ aġniz ɖt I indyrd, n I wz carid ǎt v ɖ rūm in stroñ cnvulśnz. A fīvr s’xidd t ɖs. I lei fr tū munʈs on ɖ pônt v deʈ; mî revñz, az I aftwdz hŕd, wr frîtfl; I cōld mslf ɖ mrdrr v Wiłm, v Justīn, n v Clerval. Smtmz I intritd mî atndnts t asist m in ɖ dstrux́n v ɖ fīnd bî hūm I wz tormntd; n at uɖrz I flt ɖ fngrz v ɖ monstr olrdi graspñ mî nec, n scrīmd alǎd wɖ aġni n terr. Forćṇtli, az I spouc mî netiv lanḡj, Mr. Crwn alon unḍstd m; bt mî jsćrz n bitr crîz wr sfiśnt t afrît ɖ uɖr witṇsz. Ẃ dd I nt dî? Mor mizṛbl ɖn man evr wz bfr, ẃ dd I nt snc intu fgetflnis n rest? Deʈ snaćz awe mni blūmñ ćildṛn, ɖ onli hops v ɖer dǒtñ peṛnts; hǎ mni brîdz n yʈfl luvrz hv bn wn de in ɖ blūm v hlʈ n hop, n ɖ nxt a prei fr wrmz n ɖ dce v ɖ tūm! V ẃt mtirịlz wz I md ɖt I cd ɖus rzist so mni śocs, ẃć, lîc ɖ trnñ v ɖ ẃīl, cntińli rnyd ɖ torćr?

Bt I wz dūmd t liv n in tū munʈs faund mslf az awecñ fṛm a drīm, in a prizn, strećt on a rećid bed, srǎndd bî jelrz, trncīz, bolts, n ol ɖ mizṛbl aṗreṭs v a dunjn. It wz mornñ, I rmembr, ẃn I ɖus awouc t unḍstandñ; I hd fgotn ɖ ptiklrz v ẃt hd hapnd n onli flt az f sm gret msfortyn hd sudnli oṿẃlmd m; bt ẃn I lct arnd n sw ɖ bàrd windoz n ɖ sqolidnis v ɖ rūm in ẃć I wz, ol flaśt acrs mî meṃri n I grond bitrli.

Ɖs sǎnd dstrbd an old wmn hu wz slīpñ in a ćer bsd m. Ś wz a hîrd nrs, ɖ wîf v wn v ɖ trncīz, n hr cǎntinns xprest ol ɖoz bad qoḷtz ẃć ofn caṛcṭrîz ɖt clas. Ɖ lînz v hr fes wr hard n rūd, lîc ɖt v prsnz acustmd t si wɖt simṗʈîzñ in sîts v miẓri. Hr ton xprest hr intîr indifṛns; ś adrest m in Ñgliś, n ɖ vôs struc m az wn ɖt I hd hŕd jrñ mî suf̣rñz. “R y betr nǎ, sr?” sd ś.

I rplaid in ɖ sem lanḡj, wɖ a fībl vôs, “I b’liv I am; bt f it b ol tru, f indd I dd nt drīm, I am sori ɖt I am stl alîv t fīl ɖs miẓri n horr.”

“Fr ɖt matr,” rplaid ɖ old wmn, “f y mīn abt ɖ jntlmn y mrdrd, I b’liv ɖt it wr betr fr y f y wr ded, fr I fansi it wl g hard wɖ y! Hvr, ɖt’s nn v mî biznis; I am snt t nrs y n gt y wel; I d mî dyti wɖ a sef conśns; it wr wel f evrbdi dd ɖ sem.”

I trnd wɖ loɖñ fṛm ɖ wmn hu cd utr so unfīlñ a spīć t a prsn jst sevd, on ɖ vri éj v deʈ; bt I flt lanḡd n unebl t rflect on ol ɖt hd pást. Ɖ hol siriz v mî lîf apird t m az a drīm; I smtmz dǎtd f indd it wr ol tru, fr it nvr prizntd itslf t mî mînd wɖ ɖ fors v riaḷti.

Az ɖ iṃjz ɖt flotd bfr m bcem mor dstñt, I grù fīṿriś; a darcnis prest arnd m; nwn wz nir m hu suɖd m wɖ ɖ jntl vôs v luv; no dir hand s’portd m. Ɖ fziśn cem n priscrîbd medisnz, n ɖ old wmn priperd ɖm fr m; bt utr cerlisnis wz viẓbl in ɖ frst, n ɖ xpreśn v brūtaḷti wz stroñli marct in ɖ vizij v ɖ secnd. Hu cd b inṭrestd in ɖ fet v a mrdrr bt ɖ hañmn hu wd gen hiz fi?

Ɖz wr mî frst rflex́nz, bt I sn lrnt ɖt Mr. Crwn hd śoun m xtrim cîndnis. H hd cōzd ɖ bst rūm in ɖ prizn t b priperd fr m (rećid indd wz ɖ bst); n it wz h hu hd pṛvîdd a fziśn n a nrs. It z tru, h sldm cem t si m, fr olɖo h ardntli dzîrd t rliv ɖ suf̣rñz v evri hymn crīćr, h dd nt wś t b preznt at ɖ aġniz n mizṛbl revñz v a mrdrr. H cem, ɖrfr, smtmz t si ɖt I wz nt nglectd, bt hiz vizits wr śort n wɖ loñ inṭvlz. Wn de, ẃl I wz graɉli rcuṿrñ, I wz sītd in a ćer, mî îz haf opn n mî ćīcs livid lîc ɖoz in deʈ. I wz oṿcm bî glūm n miẓri n ofn rflectd I hd betr sīc deʈ ɖn dzîr t rmen in a wrld ẃć t m wz rplit wɖ rećidnis. At wn tîm I cnsidrd ẃɖr I śd nt dcler mslf gilti n sufr ɖ penlti v ɖ lw, les iṇsnt ɖn pur Justīn hd bn. Sć wr mî ʈts ẃn ɖ dor v mî apartmnt wz opnd n Mr. Crwn entrd. Hiz cǎntinns xprest simṗʈi n cmpaśn; h drù a ćer clos t mîn n adrest m in Frenć, “I fir ɖt ɖs ples z vri śocñ t y; cn I d enʈñ t mc y mor cumf̣tbl?”

“I ʈanc y, bt ol ɖt y mnśn z nʈñ t m; on ɖ hol rʈ ɖr z no cumf̣t ẃć I am ceṗbl v rsivñ.”

“I nǒ ɖt ɖ simṗʈi v a strenjr cn b bt v litl rlif t wn bòrn dǎn az y r bî so strenj a msfortyn. Bt y wl, I hop, sn qit ɖs meḷnc̣li abod, fr dǎtlis evidns cn īẓli b bròt t fri y fṛm ɖ criminl ćarj.”

“Ɖt z mî līst cnsrn; I am, bî a cors v strenj ivnts, bcm ɖ most mizṛbl v mortlz. Prṣktd n torćrd az I am n hv bn, cn deʈ b eni īvl t m?”

“Nʈñ indd cd b mor unforćṇt n aġnîzñ ɖn ɖ strenj ćansz ɖt hv lêtli ocŕd. Y wr ʈroun, bî sm s’prîzñ axidnt, on ɖs śor, rnǎnd fr its hosṗtaḷti, sizd imīɉtli, n ćarjd wɖ mrdr. Ɖ frst sît ɖt wz prizntd t yr îz wz ɖ bodi v yr frend, mrdrd in so un’cǎntbl a manr n plest, az it wr, bî sm fīnd acrs yr paʈ.”

Az Mr. Crwn sd ɖs, ntwɖstandñ ɖ ajteśn I indyrd on ɖs retṛspect v mî suf̣rñz, I olso flt cnsidṛbl s’prîz at ɖ nolij h sīmd t pzes cnsrnñ m. I s’poz sm astoniśmnt wz xibtd in mî cǎntinns, fr Mr. Crwn hesnd t se, “Imīɉtli upn yr biyñ tecn il, ol ɖ peprz ɖt wr on yr prsn wr bròt m, n I xamind ɖm ɖt I mt dscuvr sm tres bî ẃć I cd snd t yr rleśnz an acǎnt v yr msfortyn n ilnis. I faund sevṛl letrz, n, amñ uɖrz, wn ẃć I dscuvrd fṛm its cmnsmnt t b fṛm yr faɖr. I instntli rout t Jnīva; nirli tū munʈs hv ilapst sins ɖ dparćr v mî letr. Bt y r il; īvn nǎ y trembl; y r unfit fr ajteśn v eni cnd.”

“Ɖs sspns z a ʈǎznd tîmz wrs ɖn ɖ most hoṛbl ivnt; tel m ẃt ny sīn v deʈ hz bn actd, n huz mrdr I am nǎ t l’mnt?”

“Yr faṃli z prf̣cli wel,” sd Mr. Crwn wɖ jntlnis; “n smwn, a frend, z cm t vizit y.”

I nǒ nt bî ẃt ćen v ʈt ɖ îdīa prizntd itslf, bt it instntli dartd intu mî mînd ɖt ɖ mrdrr hd cm t moc at mî miẓri n tōnt m wɖ ɖ deʈ v Clerval, az a ny insîtmnt fr m t cmplî wɖ hiz heliś dzîrz. I pt mî hand bfr mî îz, n craid ǎt in aġni, “Ǒ! Tec him awe! I canot si him; fr God’z sec, d nt let him entr!”

Mr. Crwn rgardd m wɖ a trubld cǎntinns. H cd nt hlp rgardñ mî xcḷmeśn az a prizumśn v mî gilt n sd in rɖr a svir ton, “I śd hv ʈt, yuñ man, ɖt ɖ prezns v yr faɖr wd hv bn welcm instd v inspîrñ sć vayḷnt rpugnns.”

“Mî faɖr!” craid I, ẃl evri fīćr n evri musl wz rlaxt fṛm anḡś t pleźr. “Z mî faɖr indd cm? Hǎ cînd, hǎ vri cînd! Bt ẃr z h, ẃ dz h nt hesn t m?”

Mî ćenj v manr s’prîzd n plizd ɖ maɉstret; phps h ʈt ɖt mî formr xcḷmeśn wz a momntri rtrn v dlirịm, n nǎ h instntli rzymd hiz formr bnevḷns. H rouz n qitd ɖ rūm wɖ mî nrs, n in a momnt mî faɖr entrd it.

Nʈñ, at ɖs momnt, cd hv gvn m gretr pleźr ɖn ɖ arîvl v mî faɖr. I strećt ǎt mî hand t him n craid, “R y, ɖen, sef—n Iliẓbʈ—n Ŕnist?” Mî faɖr cāmd m wɖ aśuṛnsz v ɖer welfér n indevrd, bî dwelñ on ɖz subjicts so inṭrestñ t mî hart, t rêz mî dspondñ spirits; bt h sn flt ɖt a prizn canot b ɖ abod v ćirflnis.

“Ẃt a ples z ɖs ɖt y inhabit, mî sun!” sd h, lcñ mōrnf̣li at ɖ bàrd windoz n rećid apiṛns v ɖ rūm. “Y travld t sīc hapinis, bt a ftaḷti sīmz t psy y. N pur Clerval—”

Ɖ nem v mî unforćṇt n mrdrd frend wz an ajteśn tù gret t b indyrd in mî wìc stet; I śed tirz. “Alas! Yes, mî faɖr,” rplaid I; “sm desṭni v ɖ most hoṛbl cnd hañz ovr m, n I mst liv t flfil it, or śrli I śd hv daid on ɖ cofin v Õri.”

W wr nt alaud t cnvrs fr eni leñʈ v tîm, fr ɖ pricerịs stet v mî hlʈ rendrd evri pricōśn nesṣri ɖt cd enśur tranqiḷti. Mr. Crwn cem in n insistd ɖt mî streñʈ śd nt b xōstd bî tù mć xrśn. Bt ɖ apiṛns v mî faɖr wz t m lîc ɖt v mî gd enjl, n I graɉli rcuvrd mî hlʈ.

Az mî sicnis qitd m, I wz abzorbd bî a glūmi n blac meḷnc̣li ɖt nʈñ cd diṣpet. Ɖ imij v Clerval wz fr evr bfr m, gastli n mrdrd. Mor ɖn wns ɖ ajteśn intu ẃć ɖz rflex́nz ʈrù m md mî frendz dred a denjṛs rlaps. Alas! Ẃ dd ɖe prizrv so mizṛbl n dtstd a lîf? It wz śrli ɖt I mt flfil mî desṭni, ẃć z nǎ drw̃ t a clos. Sn, ǒ, vri sn, wl deʈ xtnḡś ɖz ʈrobñz n rliv m fṛm ɖ mîti weit v anḡś ɖt berz m t ɖ dust; n, in x’ktñ ɖ aword v justis, I śl olso snc t rest. Ɖen ɖ apiṛns v deʈ wz distnt, olɖo ɖ wś wz evr preznt t mî ʈts; n I ofn sat fr aurz mośnlis n spīćlis, wśñ fr sm mîti reṿluśn ɖt mt beri m n mî dstroyr in its ruinz.

Ɖ sīzn v ɖ asîzz aproćt. I hd olrdi bn ʈri munʈs in prizn, n olɖo I wz stl wìc n in cntińl denjr v a rlaps, I wz oblîjd t travl nirli a hundṛd mîlz t ɖ cuntritǎn ẃr ɖ cort wz hld. Mr. Crwn ćarjd himslf wɖ evri cer v c’lectñ witṇsz n arenjñ mî dfns. I wz sperd ɖ dsgres v apirñ pubḷcli az a criminl, az ɖ ces wz nt bròt bfr ɖ cort ɖt dsîdz on lîf n deʈ. Ɖ grand jri rjctd ɖ bil, on its biyñ pruvd ɖt I wz on ɖ Orcni Îḷndz at ɖ aur ɖ bodi v mî frend wz faund; n a fortnît aftr mî rmuvl I wz liḅretd fṛm prizn.

Mî faɖr wz inrapćrd on fîndñ m frìd fṛm ɖ vxeśnz v a criminl ćarj, ɖt I wz agn alaud t briɖ ɖ freś atṃsfir n pmitd t rtrn t mî netiv cuntri. I dd nt ptiṣpet in ɖz fīlñz, fr t m ɖ wōlz v a dunjn or a palis wr alîc hetfl. Ɖ cup v lîf wz pôznd fr evr, n olɖo ɖ sún śon upn m, az upn ɖ hapi n ge v hart, I sw arnd m nʈñ bt a dns n frîtfl darcnis, peṇtretd bî no lît bt ɖ glimr v tū îz ɖt glerd upn m. Smtmz ɖe wr ɖ xpresiv îz v Õri, lanḡśñ in deʈ, ɖ darc orbz nirli cuvrd bî ɖ lidz n ɖ loñ blac laśz ɖt frinjd ɖm; smtmz it wz ɖ wōṭri, clǎdd îz v ɖ monstr, az I frst sw ɖm in mî ćembr at Ingolśtat.

Mî faɖr traid t awecn in m ɖ fīlñz v afx́n. H tōct v Jnīva, ẃć I śd sn vizit, v Iliẓbʈ n Ŕnist; bt ɖz wrdz onli drù dīp gronz fṛm m. Smtmz, indd, I flt a wś fr hapinis n ʈt wɖ meḷnc̣li dlît v mî b’luvid cuzn or loñd, wɖ a dvǎrñ maladie du pays, t si wns mor ɖ blu lec n rapid Rǒn, ɖt hd bn so dir t m in rli ćîldhd; bt mî jenṛl stet v fīlñ wz a torpr in ẃć a prizn wz az welcm a rezidns az ɖ dvînist sīn in nećr; n ɖz fits wr sldm inṭruptd bt bî paṛxizmz v anḡś n dsper. At ɖz momnts I ofn indevrd t pt an end t ɖ xistns I loɖd, n it rqîrd unsīsñ atndns n vijiḷns t rstren m fṛm cmitñ sm dredfl act v vayḷns.

Yt wn dyti rmend t m, ɖ rec̣lex́n v ẃć fîṇli trîumft ovr mî slfiś dsper. It wz nesṣri ɖt I śd rtrn wɖt dle t Jnīva, ɖr t woć ovr ɖ lîvz v ɖoz I so fondli luvd n t lî in wêt fr ɖ mrdrr, ɖt f eni ćans léd m t ɖ ples v hiz cnsilmnt, or f h derd agn t blast m bî hiz prezns, I mt, wɖ unfelñ em, pt an end t ɖ xistns v ɖ monstṛs imij ẃć I hd indyd wɖ ɖ moc̣ri v a soul stl mor monstṛs. Mî faɖr stl dzîrd t dle ǎr dparćr, firfl ɖt I cd nt ssten ɖ ftīgz v a jrni, fr I wz a śatrd rec—ɖ śado v a hymn biyñ. Mî streñʈ wz gn. I wz a mir scelitn, n fīvr nît n de préid upn mî westd frem.

Stl, az I rjd ǎr līvñ Îrḷnd wɖ sć inqaytyd n impeśns, mî faɖr ʈt it bst t yīld. W tc ǎr pasij on bōrd a vesl baund fr Āvra-d’Grê n sêld wɖ a fer wind fṛm ɖ Îriś śorz. It wz midnît. I lei on ɖ dec lcñ at ɖ starz n liṣnñ t ɖ daśñ v ɖ wevz. I hêld ɖ darcnis ɖt śut Îrḷnd fṛm mî sît, n mî puls bìt wɖ a fīṿriś jô ẃn I rflectd ɖt I śd sn si Jnīva. Ɖ past apird t m in ɖ lît v a frîtfl drīm; yt ɖ vesl in ẃć I wz, ɖ wind ɖt blù m fṛm ɖ dtstd śor v Îrḷnd, n ɖ sì ẃć srǎndd m tld m tù forṣbli ɖt I wz dsivd bî no viźn n ɖt Clerval, mî frend n dirist cmpańn, hd fōḷn a victim t m n ɖ monstr v mî crieśn. I rpást, in mî meṃri, mî hol lîf—mî qayt hapinis ẃl rzîdñ wɖ mî faṃli in Jnīva, ɖ deʈ v mî muɖr, n mî dparćr fr Ingolśtat. I rmembrd, śuḍrñ, ɖ mad inʈyziazm ɖt hurid m on t ɖ crieśn v mî hidịs eṇmi, n I cōld t mînd ɖ nît in ẃć h frst livd. I wz unebl t psy ɖ tren v ʈt; a ʈǎznd fīlñz prest upn m, n I wept bitrli.

Evr sins mî rcuṿri fṛm ɖ fīvr I hd bn in ɖ custm v tecñ evri nît a smōl qontti v lōḍnm, fr it wz bî mīnz v ɖs drug onli ɖt I wz inebld t gen ɖ rest nesṣri fr ɖ preẓveśn v lîf. Oprest bî ɖ rec̣lex́n v mî verịs msfortynz, I nǎ swoloud dubl mî yźl qontti n sn slept pṛfǎndli. Bt slīp dd nt aford m respît fṛm ʈt n miẓri; mî drīmz prizntd a ʈǎznd objicts ɖt scerd m. Twdz mornñ I wz pzest bî a cnd v nîtmer; I flt ɖ fīnd’z grasp in mî nec n cd nt fri mslf fṛm it; gronz n crîz rañ in mî irz. Mî faɖr, hu wz woćñ ovr m, psivñ mî restlisnis, awouc m; ɖ daśñ wevz wr arnd, ɖ clǎdi scî abv, ɖ fīnd wz nt hir: a sns v s’kṛti, a fīlñ ɖt a trūs wz istabliśt btwn ɖ preznt aur n ɖ irizistbl, dzastṛs fyćr impartd t m a cnd v cām fgetflnis, v ẃć ɖ hymn mînd z bî its strucćr pkłrli ssptbl.

Mî faɖr yīldd at leñʈ t mî dzîr t avôd ssayti n strouv bî verịs arğmnts t baniś mî dsper. Smtmz h ʈt ɖt I flt dīpli ɖ degṛdeśn v biyñ oblîjd t ansr a ćarj v mrdr, n h indevrd t pruv t m ɖ fytiḷti v prîd.

“Alas! Mî faɖr,” sd I, “hǎ litl d y nǒ m. Hymn biyñz, ɖer fīlñz n paśnz, wd indd b dgredd f sć a reć az I flt prîd. Justīn, pur unhapi Justīn, wz az iṇsnt az I, n ś sufrd ɖ sem ćarj; ś daid fr it; n I am ɖ cōz v ɖs—I mrdrd hr. Wiłm, Justīn, n Õri—ɖe ol daid bî mî handz.”

Mî faɖr hd ofn, jrñ mî impriznmnt, hŕd m mc ɖ sem asrśn; ẃn I ɖus akzd mslf, h smtmz sīmd t dzîr an xpḷneśn, n at uɖrz h apird t cnsidr it az ɖ ofsprñ v dlirịm, n ɖt, jrñ mî ilnis, sm îdīa v ɖs cnd hd prizntd itslf t mî imaɉneśn, ɖ rmembṛns v ẃć I prizrvd in mî convlesns.

I avôdd xpḷneśn n mntend a cntińl sîḷns cnsrnñ ɖ reć I hd crietd. I hd a psweźn ɖt I śd b s’pozd mad, n ɖs in itslf wd fr evr hv ćend mî tuñ. Bt, bsdz, I cd nt brñ mslf t dscloz a sīcrit ẃć wd fil mî hírr wɖ consṭneśn n mc fir n uņaćṛl horr ɖ inmets v hiz brest. I ćect, ɖrfr, mî impeśnt ʈrst fr simṗʈi n wz sîḷnt ẃn I wd hv gvn ɖ wrld t hv cnfîdd ɖ fetl sīcrit. Yt, stl, wrdz lîc ɖoz I hv rcordd wd brst uncntroḷbli fṛm m. I cd ofr no xpḷneśn v ɖm, bt ɖer truʈ in part rlivd ɖ brdn v mî mstirịs wo.

Upn ɖs oceźn mî faɖr sd, wɖ an xpreśn v unbǎndd wundr, “Mî dirist Victr, ẃt infaćueśn z ɖs? Mî dir sun, I intrit y nvr t mc sć an asrśn agn.”

“I am nt mad,” I craid eṇjeticli; “ɖ sún n ɖ hevnz, hu hv vyd mî oṗreśnz, cn ber witnis v mî truʈ. I am ɖ asasin v ɖoz most iṇsnt victimz; ɖe daid bî mî maṣ́neśnz. A ʈǎznd tîmz wd I hv śed mî ǒn blud, drop bî drop, t hv sevd ɖer livz; bt I cd nt, mî faɖr, indd I cd nt sacṛfîs ɖ hol hymn res.”

Ɖ cncluźn v ɖs spīć cnvinst mî faɖr ɖt mî îdīaz wr d’renjd, n h instntli ćenjd ɖ subjict v ǎr convseśn n indevrd t oltr ɖ cors v mî ʈts. H wśt az mć az poṣbl t obliṭret ɖ meṃri v ɖ sīnz ɖt hd tecn ples in Îrḷnd n nvr aludd t ɖm or sufrd m t spīc v mî msfortynz.

Az tîm pást awe I bcem mor cām; miẓri hd hr dwelñ in mî hart, bt I no longr tōct in ɖ sem inc̣hiṛnt manr v mî ǒn crîmz; sfiśnt fr m wz ɖ conśsnis v ɖm. Bî ɖ utmost slf-vayḷns I crbd ɖ impirịs vôs v rećidnis, ẃć smtmz dzîrd t dcler itslf t ɖ hol wrld, n mî manrz wr cāmr n mor cmpozd ɖn ɖe hd evr bn sins mî jrni t ɖ sì v îs.

A fy dez bfr w left Paris on ǎr we t Switṣḷnd, I rsivd ɖ folowñ letr fṛm Iliẓbʈ:

“It gev m ɖ gretist pleźr t rsiv a letr fṛm mî uncl detd at Paris; y r no longr at a formiḍbl distns, n I me hop t si y in les ɖn a fortnît. Mî pur cuzn, hǎ mć y mst hv sufrd! I xpct t si y lcñ īvn mor il ɖn ẃn y qitd Jnīva. Ɖs wintr hz bn pást most mizṛbli, torćrd az I hv bn bî añśs sspns; yt I hop t si pīs in yr cǎntinns n t fînd ɖt yr hart z nt toṭli vôd v cumf̣t n tranqiḷti.“Yt I fir ɖt ɖ sem fīlñz nǎ xist ɖt md y so mizṛbl a yir ago, īvn phps ōgmntd bî tîm. I wd nt dstrb y at ɖs pirịd, ẃn so mni msfortynz wei upn y, bt a convseśn ɖt I hd wɖ mî uncl prīvịs t hiz dparćr rendrz sm xpḷneśn nesṣri bfr w mīt. Xpḷneśn! Y me poṣbli se, Ẃt cn Iliẓbʈ hv t xplen? F y riyli se ɖs, mî qsćnz r ansrd n ol mî dǎts saṭsfaid. Bt y r distnt fṛm m, n it z poṣbl ɖt y me dred n yt b plizd wɖ ɖs xpḷneśn; n in a probbiḷti v ɖs biyñ ɖ ces, I der nt eni longr pspon raitñ ẃt, jrñ yr absns, I hv ofn wśt t xpres t y bt hv nvr hd ɖ curij t bgin.

“Y wel nǒ, Victr, ɖt ǎr yńn hd bn ɖ feṿrit plan v yr peṛnts evr sins ǎr inf̣nsi. W wr tld ɖs ẃn yuñ, n tòt t lc fwd t it az an ivnt ɖt wd srtnli tec ples. W wr afx́ṇt plêfeloz jrñ ćîldhd, n, I b’liv, dir n valyd frendz t wn anɖr az w grù oldr. Bt az bruɖr n sistr ofn entten a lîvli afx́n twdz ć uɖr wɖt dzîrñ a mor intiṃt yńn, me nt sć olso b ǎr ces? Tel m, dirist Victr. Ansr m, I cunjr y bî ǎr ḿćl hapinis, wɖ simpl truʈ—D y nt luv anɖr?

“Y hv travld; y hv spent sevṛl yirz v yr lîf at Ingolśtat; n I cnfes t y, mî frend, ɖt ẃn I sw y last ōtm so unhapi, flayñ t soḷtyd fṛm ɖ ssayti v evri crīćr, I cd nt hlp s’pozñ ɖt y mt rgret ǎr cnx́n n b’liv yrslf baund in onr t flfil ɖ wśz v yr peṛnts, olɖo ɖe opozd ɖmslvz t yr incḷneśnz. Bt ɖs z fōls rīẓnñ. I cnfes t y, mî frend, ɖt I luv y n ɖt in mî e’ri drīmz v fyćuṛti y hv bn mî constnt frend n cmpańn. Bt it z yr hapinis I dzîr az wel az mî ǒn ẃn I dcler t y ɖt ǎr marij wd rendr m itrṇli mizṛbl unls it wr ɖ dictet v yr ǒn fri ćôs. Īvn nǎ I wīp t ʈnc ɖt, bòrn dǎn az y r bî ɖ cruwlist msfortynz, y me stîfl, bî ɖ wrd ‘onr,’ ol hop v ɖt luv n hapinis ẃć wd alon rstor y t yrslf. I, hu hv so disinṭrestd an afx́n fr y, me incris yr miẓriz tenfold bî biyñ an obsṭcl t yr wśz. Ā! Victr, b aśurd ɖt yr cuzn n plêmêt hz tù snsir a luv fr y nt t b md mizṛbl bî ɖs supziśn. B hapi, mî frend; n f y obe m in ɖs wn rqst, rmen saṭsfaid ɖt nʈñ on rʈ wl hv ɖ pǎr t inṭrupt mî tranqiḷti.

“D nt let ɖs letr dstrb y; d nt ansr tmro, or ɖ nxt de, or īvn untl y cm, f it wl gv y pen. Mî uncl wl snd m nyz v yr hlʈ, n f I si bt wn smîl on yr lips ẃn w mīt, oceźnd bî ɖs or eni uɖr xrśn v mîn, I śl nīd no uɖr hapinis.

“Iliẓbʈ L’vnza

“Jnīva, Me 18ʈ, 17—”

Ɖs letr rvîvd in mî meṃri ẃt I hd bfr fgotn, ɖ ʈret v ɖ fīnd—”I WL B WƉ Y ON YR WEDÑNÎT!” Sć wz mî sntns, n on ɖt nît wd ɖ dīmn implô evri art t dstrô m n ter m fṛm ɖ glims v hapinis ẃć promist partli t consol mî suf̣rñz. On ɖt nît h hd dtrmind t consymet hiz crîmz bî mî deʈ. Wel, b it so; a dedli strugl wd ɖen aśuridli tec ples, in ẃć f h wr victorịs I śd b at pīs n hiz pǎr ovr m b at an end. F h wr vanqiśt, I śd b a fri man. Alas! Ẃt frīdm? Sć az ɖ peznt injôz ẃn hiz faṃli hv bn maṣcrd bfr hiz îz, hiz cotij brnt, hiz landz leid west, n h z trnd adrift, homlis, penilis, n alon, bt fri. Sć wd b mî liḅti xpt ɖt in mî Iliẓbʈ I pzest a treźr, alas, baḷnst bî ɖoz horrz v rmors n gilt ẃć wd psy m untl deʈ.

Swīt n b’luvid Iliẓbʈ! I réd n rīréd hr letr, n sm sofnd fīlñz stoul intu mî hart n derd t ẃispr paṛḍziycl drīmz v luv n jô; bt ɖ apl wz olrdi ītn, n ɖ enjl’z arm bérd t drîv m fṛm ol hop. Yt I wd dî t mc hr hapi. F ɖ monstr x’ktd hiz ʈret, deʈ wz inevitbl; yt, agn, I cnsidrd ẃɖr mî marij wd hesn mî fet. Mî dstrux́n mt indd arîv a fy munʈs snr, bt f mî torćrr śd sspct ɖt I pspond it, inflụnst bî hiz meṇsz, h wd śrli fînd uɖr n phps mor dredfl mīnz v rvnj.

H hd vaud T B WƉ M ON MÎ WEDÑNÎT, yt h dd nt cnsidr ɖt ʈret az bîndñ him t pīs in ɖ mntm, fr az f t śo m ɖt h wz nt yt seśietd wɖ blud, h hd mrdrd Clerval imīɉtli aftr ɖ inunsieśn v hiz ʈrets. I rzolvd, ɖrfr, ɖt f mî imīɉt yńn wɖ mî cuzn wd cndys îɖr t hrz or mî faɖr’z hapinis, mî advrsri’z dzînz agnst mî lîf śd nt rtard it a sngl aur.

In ɖs stet v mînd I rout t Iliẓbʈ. Mî letr wz cām n afx́ṇt. “I fir, mî b’luvid grl,” I sd, “litl hapinis rmenz fr s on rʈ; yt ol ɖt I me wn de injô z sntrd in y. Ćes awe yr îdl firz; t y alon d I conṣcret mî lîf n mî indevrz fr cntntmnt. I hv wn sīcrit, Iliẓbʈ, a dredfl wn; ẃn rvild t y, it wl ćil yr frem wɖ horr, n ɖen, far fṛm biyñ s’prîzd at mî miẓri, y wl onli wundr ɖt I svîv ẃt I hv indyrd. I wl cnfîd ɖs têl v miẓri n terr t y ɖ de aftr ǎr marij śl tec ples, fr, mî swīt cuzn, ɖr mst b prfict confidns btwn s. Bt untl ɖen, I cunjr y, d nt mnśn or alud t it. Ɖs I most rṇstli intrit, n I nǒ y wl cmplî.”

In abt a wīc aftr ɖ arîvl v Iliẓbʈ’s letr w rtrnd t Jnīva. Ɖ swīt grl welcmd m wɖ worm afx́n, yt tirz wr in hr îz az ś bheld mî imesietd frem n fīṿriś ćīcs. I sw a ćenj in hr olso. Ś wz ʈinr n hd lost mć v ɖt hevnli vivaṣti ɖt hd bfr ćarmd m; bt hr jntlnis n soft lcs v cmpaśn md hr a mor fit cmpańn fr wn blastd n mizṛbl az I wz. Ɖ tranqiḷti ẃć I nǎ injoid dd nt indyr. Meṃri bròt madnis wɖ it, n ẃn I ʈt v ẃt hd pást, a riyl insaṇti pzest m; smtmz I wz fyrịs n brnt wɖ rej, smtmz lo n dspondnt. I nɖr spouc nr lct at enwn, bt sat mośnlis, bwildrd bî ɖ multtyd v miẓriz ɖt oṿcem m.

Iliẓbʈ alon hd ɖ pǎr t drw m fṛm ɖz fits; hr jntl vôs wd suɖ m ẃn trnsportd bî paśn n inspîr m wɖ hymn fīlñz ẃn sunc in torpr. Ś wept wɖ m n fr m. Ẃn rīzn rtrnd, ś wd remnstret n indevr t inspîr m wɖ reẓgneśn. Ā! It z wel fr ɖ unforćṇt t b rzînd, bt fr ɖ gilti ɖr z no pīs. Ɖ aġniz v rmors pôzn ɖ lux̣́ri ɖt z uɖ̇̇wz smtmz faund in induljñ ɖ xes v grīf. Sn aftr mî arîvl mî faɖr spouc v mî imīɉt marij wɖ Iliẓbʈ. I rmend sîḷnt.

“Hv y, ɖen, sm uɖr ataćmnt?”

“Nn on rʈ. I luv Iliẓbʈ n lc fwd t ǎr yńn wɖ dlît. Let ɖ de ɖrfr b fixt; n on it I wl conṣcret mslf, in lîf or deʈ, t ɖ hapinis v mî cuzn.”

“Mî dir Victr, d nt spīc ɖus. Hevi msfortynz hv bfōḷn s, bt let s onli clñ closr t ẃt rmenz n transfr ǎr luv fr ɖoz hūm w hv lost t ɖoz hu yt liv. Ǎr srcl wl b smōl bt baund clos bî ɖ tîz v afx́n n ḿćl msfortyn. N ẃn tîm śl hv sofnd yr dsper, ny n dir objicts v cer wl b born t rples ɖoz v hūm w hv bn so cruwli dprîvd.”

Sć wr ɖ lésnz v mî faɖr. Bt t m ɖ rmembṛns v ɖ ʈret rtrnd; nr cn y wundr ɖt, omniṗtnt az ɖ fīnd hd yt bn in hiz dīdz v blud, I śd olmst rgard him az invinsbl, n ɖt ẃn h hd pṛnǎnst ɖ wrdz “I ŚL B WƉ Y ON YR WEDÑNÎT,” I śd rgard ɖ ʈretnd fet az un’vôḍbl. Bt deʈ wz no īvl t m f ɖ los v Iliẓbʈ wr baḷnst wɖ it, n I ɖrfr, wɖ a cntntd n īvn ćirfl cǎntinns, agrìd wɖ mî faɖr ɖt f mî cuzn wd cnsnt, ɖ seriṃni śd tec ples in ten dez, n ɖus pt, az I imajind, ɖ sìl t mî fet.

Gret God! F fr wn instnt I hd ʈt ẃt mt b ɖ heliś intnśn v mî fīndiś advrsri, I wd rɖr hv baniśt mslf fr evr fṛm mî netiv cuntri n wondrd a frendlis ǎtcast ovr ɖ rʈ ɖn hv cnsntd t ɖs mizṛbl marij. Bt, az f pzest v majic pǎrz, ɖ monstr hd blîndd m t hiz riyl intnśnz; n ẃn I ʈt ɖt I hd priperd onli mî ǒn deʈ, I hesnd ɖt v a far dirr victim.

Az ɖ pirịd fixt fr ǎr marij drù nirr, ẃɖr fṛm cawdis or a pṛfetic fīlñ, I flt mî hart snc wɖn m. Bt I cnsild mî fīlñz bî an apiṛns v hilaṛti ɖt bròt smîlz n jô t ɖ cǎntinns v mî faɖr, bt hardli dsivd ɖ evr-woćfl n nîsr î v Iliẓbʈ. Ś lct fwd t ǎr yńn wɖ plasid cntntmnt, nt unmngld wɖ a litl fir, ẃć past msfortynz hd imprest, ɖt ẃt nǎ apird srtn n tanɉbl hapinis mt sn diṣpet intu an e’ri drīm n līv no tres bt dīp n eṿlastñ rgret. Preṗreśnz wr md fr ɖ ivnt, cngrać̣letri vizits wr rsivd, n ol wòr a smîlñ apiṛns. I śut p, az wel az I cd, in mî ǒn hart ɖ añzayti ɖt préid ɖr n entrd wɖ sīmñ rṇstnis intu ɖ planz v mî faɖr, olɖo ɖe mt onli srv az ɖ dec̣reśnz v mî traɉdi. Ʈru mî faɖr’z xrśnz a part v ɖ inheritns v Iliẓbʈ hd bn rstord t hr bî ɖ Ostrịn guvnmnt. A smōl pześn on ɖ śorz v Como b’loñd t hr. It wz agrìd ɖt, imīɉtli aftr ǎr yńn, w śd pṛsid t Vila L’vnza n spend ǎr frst dez v hapinis bsd ɖ bytifl lec nir ẃć it std.

In ɖ mntm I tc evri pricōśn t dfnd mî prsn in ces ɖ fīnd śd opnli atac m. I carid pistlz n a dagr constntli abt m n wz evr on ɖ woć t privnt arṭfis, n bî ɖz mīnz gend a gretr dgri v tranqiḷti. Indd, az ɖ pirịd aproćt, ɖ ʈret apird mor az a dluźn, nt t b rgardd az wrɖi t dstrb mî pīs, ẃl ɖ hapinis I hopt fr in mî marij wòr a gretr apiṛns v srtnti az ɖ de fixt fr its soḷmnîześn drù nirr n I hŕd it cntińli spocn v az an ocuṛns ẃć no axidnt cd poṣbli privnt.

Iliẓbʈ sīmd hapi; mî tranqil dmīnr cntribytd gretli t cām hr mînd. Bt on ɖ de ɖt wz t flfil mî wśz n mî desṭni, ś wz meḷnc̣li, n a prizntimnt v īvl pvedd hr; n phps olso ś ʈt v ɖ dredfl sīcrit ẃć I hd promist t rvil t hr on ɖ folowñ de. Mî faɖr wz in ɖ mntm oṿjoid n in ɖ busl v preṗreśn onli rec̣gnîzd in ɖ meḷnc̣li v hiz nīs ɖ difidns v a brîd.

Aftr ɖ seriṃni wz pformd a larj parti asmbld at mî faɖr’z, bt it wz agrìd ɖt Iliẓbʈ n I śd cmns ǎr jrni bî wōtr, slīpñ ɖt nît at Evian n cntinywñ ǎr vôij on ɖ folowñ de. Ɖ de wz fer, ɖ wind fevṛbl; ol smîld on ǎr nupśl imbarceśn.

Ɖoz wr ɖ last momnts v mî lîf jrñ ẃć I injoid ɖ fīlñ v hapinis. W pást rapidli alñ; ɖ sún wz hot, bt w wr śltrd fṛm its rez bî a cnd v caṇpi ẃl w injoid ɖ byti v ɖ sīn, smtmz on wn sîd v ɖ lec, ẃr w sw Mõ Salev, ɖ pleznt bancs v Mõt’legra, n at a distns, smǎntñ ol, ɖ bytifl Mõ Blã n ɖ asmblij v snǒi mǎntinz ɖt in ven indevr t eḿlet hr; smtmz cǒstñ ɖ oṗzit bancs, w sw ɖ mîti Jura opozñ its darc sîd t ɖ ambiśn ɖt wd qit its netiv cuntri, n an olmst inṣmǎntbl barịr t ɖ invedr hu śd wś t inslev it.

I tc ɖ hand v Iliẓbʈ. “Y r soṛfl, mî luv. Ā! F y ń ẃt I hv sufrd n ẃt I me yt indyr, y wd indevr t let m test ɖ qayt n frīdm fṛm dsper ɖt ɖs wn de at līst prmits m t injô.”

“B hapi, mî dir Victr,” rplaid Iliẓbʈ; “ɖr z, I hop, nʈñ t dstres y; n b aśurd ɖt f a lîvli jô z nt pentd in mî fes, mî hart z cntntd. Smʈñ ẃisprz t m nt t dpnd tù mć on ɖ prospect ɖt z opnd bfr s, bt I wl nt lisn t sć a sinistr vôs. Obzrv hǎ fast w muv alñ n hǎ ɖ clǎdz, ẃć smtmz obskr n smtmz rîz abv ɖ dom v Mõ Blã, rendr ɖs sīn v byti stl mor inṭrestñ. Lc olso at ɖ ińmṛbl fiś ɖt r swimñ in ɖ clir wōtrz, ẃr w cn dstnḡś evri pebl ɖt lîz at ɖ botm. Ẃt a dvîn de! Hǎ hapi n srīn ol nećr apirz!”

Ɖus Iliẓbʈ indevrd t dvrt hr ʈts n mîn fṛm ol rflex́n upn meḷnc̣li subjicts. Bt hr tmpr wz flucćuetñ; jô fr a fy instnts śon in hr îz, bt it cntińli gev ples t dstrax́n n reṿri.

Ɖ sún sanc lowr in ɖ hevnz; w pást ɖ rivr Drãs n obzrvd its paʈ ʈru ɖ cazmz v ɖ hayr n ɖ glenz v ɖ lowr hilz. Ɖ Alps hir cm closr t ɖ lec, n w aproćt ɖ amfiʈiytr v mǎntinz ẃć formz its īstn bǎnḍri. Ɖ spîr v Evian śon undr ɖ wŭdz ɖt srǎndd it n ɖ renj v mǎntin abv mǎntin bî ẃć it wz oṿhuñ.

Ɖ wind, ẃć hd hiɖrtu carid s alñ wɖ amezñ r’pidti, sanc at súnset t a lît brīz; ɖ soft er jst rufld ɖ wōtr n cōzd a pleznt mośn amñ ɖ triz az w aproćt ɖ śor, fṛm ẃć it woftd ɖ most dlîtfl sént v flǎrz n he. Ɖ sún sanc bnʈ ɖ hrîzn az w landd, n az I tućt ɖ śor I flt ɖoz cerz n firz rvîv ẃć sn wr t clasp m n clñ t m fr evr.

Ɖ wind, ẃć hd fōḷn in ɖ sǎʈ, nǎ rouz wɖ gret vayḷns in ɖ wst. Ɖ mūn hd rīćt hr sumit in ɖ hevnz n wz bginñ t dsnd; ɖ clǎdz swept acrs it swiftr ɖn ɖ flît v ɖ vulćr n dimd hr rez, ẃl ɖ lec rflectd ɖ sīn v ɖ bizi hevnz, rendrd stl bizịr bî ɖ restlis wevz ɖt wr bginñ t rîz. Sudnli a hevi storm v ren dsndd.

I hd bn cām jrñ ɖ de, bt so sn az nît obskrd ɖ śeps v objicts, a ʈǎznd firz arouz in mî mînd. I wz añśs n woćfl, ẃl mî rît hand graspt a pistl ẃć wz hidn in mî bŭzm; evri sǎnd teṛfaid m, bt I rzolvd ɖt I wd sel mî lîf dirli n nt śrinc fṛm ɖ conflict untl mî ǒn lîf or ɖt v mî advrsri wz xtnḡśt.

Iliẓbʈ obzrvd mî ajteśn fr sm tîm in timid n firfl sîḷns, bt ɖr wz smʈñ in mî glans ẃć cḿṇcetd terr t hr, n tremḅlñ, ś asct, “Ẃt z it ɖt aɉtets y, mî dir Victr? Ẃt z it y fir?”

“Ǒ! Pīs, pīs, mî luv,” rplaid I; “ɖs nît, n ol wl b sef; bt ɖs nît z dredfl, vri dredfl.”

I pást an aur in ɖs stet v mînd, ẃn sudnli I rflectd hǎ firfl ɖ combat ẃć I momntṛli xpctd wd b t mî wîf, n I rṇstli intritd hr t rtîr, rzolvñ nt t jôn hr untl I hd obtend sm nolij az t ɖ sićueśn v mî eṇmi.

Ś left m, n I cntinyd sm tîm wōcñ p n dǎn ɖ paṣjz v ɖ hǎs n inspctñ evri cornr ɖt mt aford a rtrit t mî advrsri. Bt I dscuvrd no tres v him n wz bginñ t cnjcćr ɖt sm forćṇt ćans hd inṭvind t privnt ɖ x’kśn v hiz meṇsz ẃn sudnli I hŕd a śril n dredfl scrīm. It cem fṛm ɖ rūm intu ẃć Iliẓbʈ hd rtîrd. Az I hŕd it, ɖ hol truʈ ruśt intu mî mînd, mî armz dropt, ɖ mośn v evri musl n fîbr wz sspndd; I cd fīl ɖ blud tric̣lñ in mî veinz n tnġlñ in ɖ xtreṃtiz v mî limz. Ɖs stet lastd bt fr an instnt; ɖ scrīm wz rpitd, n I ruśt intu ɖ rūm.

Gret God! Ẃ dd I nt ɖen xpîr! Ẃ am I hir t rlet ɖ dstrux́n v ɖ bst hop n ɖ pyrist crīćr on rʈ? Ś wz ɖr, lîflis n inaniṃt, ʈroun acrs ɖ bed, hr hed haññ dǎn n hr pel n dstortd fīćrz haf cuvrd bî hr her. Evrẃr I trn I si ɖ sem figr—hr bludlis armz n rlaxt form fluñ bî ɖ mrdrr on its brîdl bír. Cd I bhold ɖs n liv? Alas! Lîf z obstiṇt n clñz closist ẃr it z most hetd. Fr a momnt onli dd I lūz rec̣lex́n; I fél snslis on ɖ grǎnd.

Ẃn I rcuvrd I faund mslf srǎndd bî ɖ ppl v ɖ ín; ɖer cǎntinnsz xprest a breʈlis terr, bt ɖ horr v uɖrz apird onli az a moc̣ri, a śado v ɖ fīlñz ɖt oprest m. I iscept fṛm ɖm t ɖ rūm ẃr lei ɖ bodi v Iliẓbʈ, mî luv, mî wîf, so lêtli livñ, so dir, so wrɖi. Ś hd bn muvd fṛm ɖ posćr in ẃć I hd frst bheld hr, n nǎ, az ś lei, hr hed upn hr arm n a hanc̣ćif ʈroun acrs hr fes n nec, I mt hv s’pozd hr aslip. I ruśt twdz hr n imbrest hr wɖ ardr, bt ɖ dedli langr n coldnis v ɖ limz tld m ɖt ẃt I nǎ hld in mî armz hd sīst t b ɖ Iliẓbʈ hūm I hd luvd n ćeriśt. Ɖ mrdṛs marc v ɖ fīnd’z grasp wz on hr nec, n ɖ breʈ hd sīst t iśu fṛm hr lips.

Ẃl I stl huñ ovr hr in ɖ aġni v dsper, I hapnd t lc p. Ɖ windoz v ɖ rūm hd bfr bn darcnd, n I flt a cnd v panic on siyñ ɖ pel yelo lît v ɖ mūn iluṃnet ɖ ćembr. Ɖ śutrz hd bn ʈroun bac, n wɖ a snseśn v horr nt t b dscrîbd, I sw at ɖ opn windo a figr ɖ most hidịs n abhord. A grin wz on ɖ fes v ɖ monstr; h sīmd t jir, az wɖ hiz fīndiś fngr h pôntd twdz ɖ corps v mî wîf. I ruśt twdz ɖ windo, n drw̃ a pistl fṛm mî bŭzm, fîrd; bt h iludd m, lept fṛm hiz steśn, n runñ wɖ ɖ swiftnis v lîtnñ, plunjd intu ɖ lec.

Ɖ rport v ɖ pistl bròt a crǎd intu ɖ rūm. I pôntd t ɖ spot ẃr h hd dis’pird, n w foloud ɖ trac wɖ bots; nets wr cast, bt in ven. Aftr pasñ sevṛl aurz, w rtrnd hoplis, most v mî cmpańnz b’livñ it t hv bn a form cunjrd p bî mî fansi. Aftr hvñ landd, ɖe pṛsidd t srć ɖ cuntri, partiz gwñ in difṛnt d’rex́nz amñ ɖ wŭdz n vînz.

I atmtd t acumṗni ɖm n pṛsidd a śort distns fṛm ɖ hǎs, bt mî hed ẃrld rnd, mî steps wr lîc ɖoz v a druncn man, I fél at last in a stet v utr xōsćn; a film cuvrd mî îz, n mî scin wz parćt wɖ ɖ hīt v fīvr. In ɖs stet I wz carid bac n plest on a bed, hardli conśs v ẃt hd hapnd; mî îz wondrd rnd ɖ rūm az f t sīc smʈñ ɖt I hd lost.

Aftr an inṭvl I arouz, n az f bî instñt, crōld intu ɖ rūm ẃr ɖ corps v mî b’luvid lei. Ɖr wr wimin wīpñ arnd; I huñ ovr it n jônd mî sad tirz t ɖerz; ol ɖs tîm no dstñt îdīa prizntd itslf t mî mînd, bt mî ʈts rambld t verịs subjicts, rflectñ cnfyzidli on mî msfortynz n ɖer cōz. I wz bwildrd, in a clǎd v wundr n horr. Ɖ deʈ v Wiłm, ɖ x’kśn v Justīn, ɖ mrdr v Clerval, n lastli v mî wîf; īvn at ɖt momnt I ń nt ɖt mî onli rmenñ frendz wr sef fṛm ɖ mligṇti v ɖ fīnd; mî faɖr īvn nǎ mt b rîɖñ undr hiz grasp, n Ŕnist mt b ded at hiz fīt. Ɖs îdīa md m śudr n rcōld m t ax́n. I startd p n rzolvd t rtrn t Jnīva wɖ ol poṣbl spīd.

Ɖr wr no horsz t b pṛkrd, n I mst rtrn bî ɖ lec; bt ɖ wind wz unfevṛbl, n ɖ ren fél in toṛnts. Hvr, it wz hardli mornñ, n I mt rīzṇbli hop t arîv bî nît. I hîrd men t ro n tc an òr mslf, fr I hd olwz xpirịnst rlif fṛm mntl torment in boḍli x’sîz. Bt ɖ oṿflowñ miẓri I nǎ flt, n ɖ xes v ajteśn ɖt I indyrd rendrd m inceṗbl v eni xrśn. I ʈrù dǎn ɖ òr, n līnñ mî hed upn mî handz, gev we t evri glūmi îdīa ɖt arouz. F I lct p, I sw sīnz ẃć wr fmiłr t m in mî hapịr tîm n ẃć I hd contmpletd bt ɖ de bfr in ɖ cumṗni v hr hu wz nǎ bt a śado n a rec̣lex́n. Tirz strīmd fṛm mî îz. Ɖ ren hd sīst fr a momnt, n I sw ɖ fiś ple in ɖ wōtrz az ɖe hd dn a fy aurz bfr; ɖe hd ɖen bn obzrvd bî Iliẓbʈ. Nʈñ z so penfl t ɖ hymn mînd az a gret n sudn ćenj. Ɖ sún mt śîn or ɖ clǎdz mt lowr, bt nʈñ cd apir t m az it hd dn ɖ de bfr. A fīnd hd snaćt fṛm m evri hop v fyćr hapinis; no crīćr hd evr bn so mizṛbl az I wz; so frîtfl an ivnt z sngl in ɖ hisṭri v man.

Bt ẃ śd I dwel upn ɖ insidnts ɖt foloud ɖs last oṿẃlmñ ivnt? Mîn hz bn a têl v horrz; I hv rīćt ɖer acmi, n ẃt I mst nǎ rlet cn bt b tīdịs t y. Nǒ ɖt, wn bî wn, mî frendz wr snaćt awe; I wz left dezḷt. Mî ǒn streñʈ z xōstd, n I mst tel, in a fy wrdz, ẃt rmenz v mî hidịs nreśn.

I arîvd at Jnīva. Mî faɖr n Ŕnist yt livd, bt ɖ formr sunc undr ɖ tîdñz ɖt I bòr. I si him nǎ, xḷnt n venṛbl old man! Hiz îz wondrd in vecnsi, fr ɖe hd lost ɖer ćarm n ɖer dlît—hiz Iliẓbʈ, hiz mor ɖn dōtr, hūm h dǒtd on wɖ ol ɖt afx́n ẃć a man fīlz, hu in ɖ dclîn v lîf, hvñ fy afx́nz, clñz mor rṇstli t ɖoz ɖt rmen. Crst, crst b ɖ fīnd ɖt bròt miẓri on hiz gre herz n dūmd him t west in rećidnis! H cd nt liv undr ɖ horrz ɖt wr akḿletd arnd him; ɖ sprñz v xistns sudnli gev we; h wz unebl t rîz fṛm hiz bed, n in a fy dez h daid in mî armz.

Ẃt ɖen bcem v m? I nǒ nt; I lost snseśn, n ćenz n darcnis wr ɖ onli objicts ɖt prest upn m. Smtmz, indd, I dremt ɖt I wondrd in flǎri medoz n pleznt velz wɖ ɖ frendz v mî yʈ, bt I awouc n faund mslf in a dunjn. Meḷnc̣li foloud, bt bî dgriz I gend a clir cnspśn v mî miẓriz n sićueśn n wz ɖen rlist fṛm mî prizn. Fr ɖe hd cōld m mad, n jrñ mni munʈs, az I unḍstd, a solitri sél hd bn mî habteśn.

Liḅti, hvr, hd bn a yslis gift t m, hd I nt, az I awecnd t rīzn, at ɖ sem tîm awecnd t rvnj. Az ɖ meṃri v past msfortynz prest upn m, I bgan t rflect on ɖer cōz—ɖ monstr hūm I hd crietd, ɖ mizṛbl dīmn hūm I hd snt abrōd intu ɖ wrld fr mî dstrux́n. I wz pzest bî a maḍnñ rej ẃn I ʈt v him, n dzîrd n ardntli preid ɖt I mt hv him wɖn mî grasp t rīc a gret n signl rvnj on hiz crsid hed.

Nr dd mî het loñ cnfîn itslf t yslis wśz; I bgan t rflect on ɖ bst mīnz v s’krñ him; n fr ɖs prṗs, abt a munʈ aftr mî rlis, I rperd t a criminl juj in ɖ tǎn n tld him ɖt I hd an akześn t mc, ɖt I ń ɖ dstroyr v mî faṃli, n ɖt I rqîrd him t xrt hiz hol oʈoṛti fr ɖ aprihnśn v ɖ mrdrr.

Ɖ maɉstret lisnd t m wɖ atnśn n cîndnis. “B aśurd, sr,” sd h, “no penz or xrśnz on mî part śl b sperd t dscuvr ɖ viḷn.”

“I ʈanc y,” rplaid I; “lisn, ɖrfr, t ɖ dīṗziśn ɖt I hv t mc. It z indd a têl so strenj ɖt I śd fir y wd nt credit it wr ɖr nt smʈñ in truʈ ẃć, hvr wundrfl, forsz cnvix́n. Ɖ stori z tù cnctd t b mstecn fr a drīm, n I hv no motiv fr fōlshd.” Mî manr az I ɖus adrest him wz impresiv bt cām; I hd formd in mî ǒn hart a reẓluśn t psy mî dstroyr t deʈ, n ɖs prṗs qaytd mî aġni n fr an inṭvl recnsîld m t lîf. I nǎ rletd mî hisṭri brīfli bt wɖ frmnis n prisiźn, marcñ ɖ dets wɖ akṛsi n nvr dīvietñ intu invctiv or xcḷmeśn.

Ɖ maɉstret apird at frst prf̣cli increɉḷs, bt az I cntinyd h bcem mor atntiv n inṭrestd; I sw him smtmz śudr wɖ horr; at uɖrz a lîvli s’prîz, unmngld wɖ disḅlif, wz pentd on hiz cǎntinns.

Ẃn I hd cncludd mî nreśn I sd, “Ɖs z ɖ biyñ hūm I akz n fr huz siźr n puniśmnt I cōl upn y t xrt yr hol pǎr. It z yr dyti az a maɉstret, n I b’liv n hop ɖt yr fīlñz az a man wl nt rvolt fṛm ɖ x’kśn v ɖoz fuñśnz on ɖs oceźn.”

Ɖs adres cōzd a cnsidṛbl ćenj in ɖ fizioṇmi v mî ǒn ōditr. H hd hŕd mî stori wɖ ɖt haf cnd v b’lif ɖt z gvn t a têl v spirits n sūṗnaćṛl ivnts; bt ẃn h wz cōld upn t act ofiṣ́li in consiqns, ɖ hol tîd v hiz incṛdyḷti rtrnd. H, hvr, ansrd mîldli, “I wd wilñli aford y evri ed in yr psyt, bt ɖ crīćr v hūm y spīc apirz t hv pǎrz ẃć wd pt ol mî xrśnz t dfayns. Hu cn folo an animl ẃć cn tṛvrs ɖ sì v îs n inhabit cevz n dnz ẃr no man wd vnćr t intrud? Bsdz, sm munʈs hv ilapst sins ɖ cmiśn v hiz crîmz, n nwn cn cnjcćr t ẃt ples h hz wondrd or ẃt rījn h me nǎ inhabit.”

“I d nt dǎt ɖt h hovrz nir ɖ spot ẃć I inhabit, n f h hz indd tecn refyj in ɖ Alps, h me b huntd lîc ɖ śamwā n dstroid az a bīst v prei. Bt I psiv yr ʈts; y d nt credit mî naṛtiv n d nt intnd t psy mî eṇmi wɖ ɖ puniśmnt ẃć z hiz dzrt.”

Az I spouc, rej sparcld in mî îz; ɖ maɉstret wz intiṃdetd. “Y r mstecn,” sd h. “I wl xrt mslf, n f it z in mî pǎr t sīz ɖ monstr, b aśurd ɖt h śl sufr puniśmnt pṛporśṇt t hiz crîmz. Bt I fir, fṛm ẃt y hv yrslf dscrîbd t b hiz proṗtiz, ɖt ɖs wl pruv impracticbl; n ɖus, ẃl evri propr meźr z psyd, y śd mc p yr mînd t dis’pôntmnt.”

“Ɖt canot b; bt ol ɖt I cn se wl b v litl avel. Mî rvnj z v no momnt t y; yt, ẃl I alǎ it t b a vîs, I cnfes ɖt it z ɖ dvǎrñ n onli paśn v mî soul. Mî rej z unspīcbl ẃn I rflect ɖt ɖ mrdrr, hūm I hv trnd lūs upn ssayti, stl xists. Y rfyz mî just dmand; I hv bt wn rzors, n I dvot mslf, îɖr in mî lîf or deʈ, t hiz dstrux́n.”

I trembld wɖ xes v ajteśn az I sd ɖs; ɖr wz a frenzi in mî manr, n smʈñ, I dǎt nt, v ɖt hōti firsnis ẃć ɖ martrz v old r sd t hv pzest. Bt t a Jnīvn maɉstret, huz mînd wz okpaid bî far uɖr îdīaz ɖn ɖoz v dvośn n herǒizm, ɖs eḷveśn v mînd hd mć ɖ apiṛns v madnis. H indevrd t suɖ m az a nrs dz a ćîld n rvrtd t mî têl az ɖ ifcts v dlirịm.

“Man,” I craid, “hǎ ignṛnt art ɖǎ in ɖî prîd v wizdm! Sīs; y nǒ nt ẃt it z y se.”

I brouc fṛm ɖ hǎs angri n dstrbd n rtîrd t meḍtet on sm uɖr mod v ax́n.

Mî frst reẓluśn wz t qit Jnīva fr evr; mî cuntri, ẃć, ẃn I wz hapi n b’luvid, wz dir t m, nǎ, in mî advrṣti, bcem hetfl. I pṛvîdd mslf wɖ a sum v muni, tgɖr wɖ a fy juwlz ẃć hd b’loñd t mî muɖr, n dpartd.

N nǎ mî wonḍrñz bgan ẃć r t sīs bt wɖ lîf. I hv tṛvrst a vast porśn v ɖ rʈ n hv indyrd ol ɖ hardśps ẃć travlrz in deẓts n barbṛs cuntriz r wónt t mīt. Hǎ I hv livd I hardli nǒ; mni tîmz hv I strećt mî felñ limz upn ɖ sandi plen n preid fr deʈ. Bt rvnj cept m alîv; I derd nt dî n līv mî advrsri in biyñ.

Ẃn I qitd Jnīva mî frst lebr wz t gen sm clu bî ẃć I mt tres ɖ steps v mî fīndiś eṇmi. Bt mî plan wz unsetld, n I wondrd mni aurz rnd ɖ confînz v ɖ tǎn, unsrtn ẃt paʈ I śd psy. Az nît aproćt I faund mslf at ɖ entṛns v ɖ seṃtri ẃr Wiłm, Iliẓbʈ, n mî faɖr rpozd. I entrd it n aproćt ɖ tūm ẃć marct ɖer grevz. Evrʈñ wz sîḷnt xpt ɖ līvz v ɖ triz, ẃć wr jntli ajtetd bî ɖ wind; ɖ nît wz nirli darc, n ɖ sīn wd hv bn soḷm n afctñ īvn t an uninṭrestd obzrvr. Ɖ spirits v ɖ dpartd sīmd t flit arnd n t cast a śado, ẃć wz flt bt nt sìn, arnd ɖ hed v ɖ mōrnr.

Ɖ dīp grīf ẃć ɖs sīn hd at frst xîtd qcli gev we t rej n dsper. Ɖe wr ded, n I livd; ɖer mrdrr olso livd, n t dstrô him I mst drag ǎt mî wiri xistns. I nlt on ɖ gras n cist ɖ rʈ n wɖ qiṿrñ lips xclemd, “Bî ɖ secrid rʈ on ẃć I nīl, bî ɖ śêdz ɖt wondr nir m, bî ɖ dīp n itrnl grīf ɖt I fīl, I swer; n bî ɖi, O Nît, n ɖ spirits ɖt prizîd ovr ɖi, t psy ɖ dīmn hu cōzd ɖs miẓri, untl h or I śl periś in mortl conflict. Fr ɖs prṗs I wl prizrv mî lîf; t x’kt ɖs dir rvnj wl I agn bhold ɖ sún n tréd ɖ grīn hrbij v rʈ, ẃć uɖ̇̇wz śd vaniś fṛm mî îz fr evr. N I cōl on y, spirits v ɖ ded, n on y, wonḍrñ ministrz v vnjns, t ed n cnduct m in mî wrc. Let ɖ crst n heliś monstr drinc dīp v aġni; let him fīl ɖ dsper ɖt nǎ torments m.”

I hd bgun mî aɉreśn wɖ s’lemṇti n an ō ẃć olmst aśurd m ɖt ɖ śêdz v mî mrdrd frendz hŕd n apruvd mî dvośn, bt ɖ fyriz pzest m az I cncludd, n rej ćoct mî utṛns.

I wz ansrd ʈru ɖ stilnis v nît bî a lǎd n fīndiś laf. It rañ on mî irz loñ n heṿli; ɖ mǎntinz riecoud it, n I flt az f ol hel srǎndd m wɖ moc̣ri n laftr. Śrli in ɖt momnt I śd hv bn pzest bî frenzi n hv dstroid mî mizṛbl xistns bt ɖt mî vǎ wz hŕd n ɖt I wz rzrvd fr vnjns. Ɖ laftr daid awe, ẃn a wel-noun n abhord vôs, apaṛntli clos t mî ir, adrest m in an ōḍbl ẃispr, “I am saṭsfaid, mizṛbl reć! Y hv dtrmind t liv, n I am saṭsfaid.”

I dartd twdz ɖ spot fṛm ẃć ɖ sǎnd pṛsidd, bt ɖ devl iludd mî grasp. Sudnli ɖ brōd disc v ɖ mūn arouz n śon fl upn hiz gastli n dstortd śep az h fled wɖ mor ɖn mortl spīd.

I psyd him, n fr mni munʈs ɖs hz bn mî tasc. Gîdd bî a slît clu, I foloud ɖ wîndñz v ɖ Rǒn, bt venli. Ɖ blu Mediṭreńn apird, n bî a strenj ćans, I sw ɖ fīnd entr bî nît n hîd himslf in a vesl baund fr ɖ Blac Sì. I tc mî pasij in ɖ sem śip, bt h iscept, I nǒ nt hǎ.

Amdst ɖ wîldz v Tarṭri n Ruśa, olɖo h stl ivedd m, I hv evr foloud in hiz trac. Smtmz ɖ peznts, scerd bî ɖs horid aṗriśn, informd m v hiz paʈ; smtmz h himslf, hu fird ɖt f I lost ol tres v him I śd dsper n dî, left sm marc t gîd m. Ɖ snoz dsndd on mî hed, n I sw ɖ print v hiz hyj step on ɖ ẃît plen. T y frst enṭrñ on lîf, t hūm cer z ny n aġni uņoun, hǎ cn y unḍstand ẃt I hv flt n stl fīl? Cold, wont, n ftīg wr ɖ līst penz ẃć I wz destind t indyr; I wz crst bî sm devl n carid abt wɖ m mî itrnl hel; yt stl a spirit v gd foloud n d’rectd mî steps n ẃn I most mrmrd wd sudnli xtṛcet m fṛm sīmñli inṣmǎntbl dificltiz. Smtmz, ẃn nećr, oṿcm bî hungr, sanc undr ɖ xōsćn, a rpast wz priperd fr m in ɖ deẓt ɖt rstord n inspiṛtd m. Ɖ fér wz, indd, cōrs, sć az ɖ peznts v ɖ cuntri ét, bt I wl nt dǎt ɖt it wz set ɖr bî ɖ spirits ɖt I hd invoct t ed m. Ofn, ẃn ol wz drî, ɖ hevnz clǎdlis, n I wz parćt bî ʈrst, a slît clǎd wd bdim ɖ scî, śed ɖ fy drops ɖt rvîvd m, n vaniś.

I foloud, ẃn I cd, ɖ corsz v ɖ rivrz; bt ɖ dīmn jenṛli avôdd ɖz, az it wz hir ɖt ɖ popyleśn v ɖ cuntri ćīfli c’lectd. In uɖr plesz hymn biyñz wr sldm sìn, n I jenṛli sbsistd on ɖ wîld animlz ɖt crost mî paʈ. I hd muni wɖ m n gend ɖ frendśp v ɖ vilijrz bî dstribytñ it; or I bròt wɖ m sm fūd ɖt I hd cild, ẃć, aftr tecñ a smōl part, I olwz prizntd t ɖoz hu hd pṛvîdd m wɖ fîr n ytnslz fr ccñ.

Mî lîf, az it pást ɖus, wz indd hetfl t m, n it wz jrñ slīp alon ɖt I cd test jô. O blesid slīp! Ofn, ẃn most mizṛbl, I sanc t rpoz, n mî drīmz luld m īvn t rapćr. Ɖ spirits ɖt gardd m hd pṛvîdd ɖz momnts, or rɖr aurz, v hapinis ɖt I mt rten streñʈ t flfil mî pilgṛmij. Dprîvd v ɖs respît, I śd hv sunc undr mî hardśps. Jrñ ɖ de I wz sstend n inspiṛtd bî ɖ hop v nît, fr in slīp I sw mî frendz, mî wîf, n mî b’luvid cuntri; agn I sw ɖ bnevlnt cǎntinns v mî faɖr, hŕd ɖ silvr tonz v mî Iliẓbʈ’s vôs, n bheld Clerval injoyñ hlʈ n yʈ. Ofn, ẃn wirid bî a tôlsm marć, I pswedd mslf ɖt I wz drīmñ untl nît śd cm n ɖt I śd ɖen injô riaḷti in ɖ armz v mî dirist frendz. Ẃt aġnîzñ fondnis dd I fīl fr ɖm! Hǎ dd I clñ t ɖer dir formz, az smtmz ɖe hōntd īvn mî wecñ aurz, n pswed mslf ɖt ɖe stl livd! At sć momnts vnjns, ɖt brnd wɖn m, daid in mî hart, n I psyd mî paʈ twdz ɖ dstrux́n v ɖ dīmn mor az a tasc injônd bî hevn, az ɖ mcanicl impuls v sm pǎr v ẃć I wz unconśs, ɖn az ɖ ardnt dzîr v mî soul.

Ẃt hiz fīlñz wr hūm I psyd I canot nǒ. Smtmz, indd, h left marcs in raitñ on ɖ barcs v ɖ triz or cut in ston ɖt gîdd m n instgetd mî fyri. “Mî rên z nt yt ovr”—ɖz wrdz wr leɉbl in wn v ɖz inscripśnz—”y liv, n mî pǎr z cmplit. Folo m; I sīc ɖ eṿlastñ îsz v ɖ norʈ, ẃr y wl fīl ɖ miẓri v cold n frost, t ẃć I am impasiv. Y wl fînd nir ɖs ples, f y folo nt tù tarḍli, a ded hér; īt n b rfreśt. Cm on, mî eṇmi; w hv yt t resl fr ǎr lîvz, bt mni hard n mizṛbl aurz mst y indyr untl ɖt pirịd śl arîv.”

Scofñ devl! Agn d I vǎ vnjns; agn d I dvot ɖi, mizṛbl fīnd, t torćr n deʈ. Nvr wl I gv p mî srć untl h or I periś; n ɖen wɖ ẃt xṭsi śl I jôn mî Iliẓbʈ n mî dpartd frendz, hu īvn nǎ priper fr m ɖ rword v mî tīdịs tôl n hoṛbl pilgṛmij!

Az I stl psyd mî jrni t ɖ norʈẉd, ɖ snoz ʈicnd n ɖ cold incrist in a dgri olmst tù svir t s’port. Ɖ peznts wr śut p in ɖer hovlz, n onli a fy v ɖ most hardi vnćrd fʈ t sīz ɖ animlz hūm starveśn hd forst fṛm ɖer hîdñplesz t sīc fr prei. Ɖ rivrz wr cuvrd wɖ îs, n no fiś cd b pṛkrd; n ɖus I wz cut of fṛm mî ćīf articl v menṭnns.

Ɖ trîumf v mî eṇmi incrist wɖ ɖ dificlti v mî lebrz. Wn inscripśn ɖt h left wz in ɖz wrdz: “Priper! Yr tôlz onli bgin; ráp yrslf in fŕz n pṛvîd fūd, fr w śl sn entr upn a jrni ẃr yr suf̣rñz wl saṭsfî mî eṿlastñ hetrid.”

Mî curij n prsviṛns wr inviġretd bî ɖz scofñ wrdz; I rzolvd nt t fel in mî prṗs, n cōlñ on hevn t s’port m, I cntinyd wɖ un’beitd frvr t tṛvrs imns deẓts, untl ɖ ośn apird at a distns n formd ɖ utmost bǎnḍri v ɖ hrîzn. Ǒ! Hǎ unlîc it wz t ɖ blu sīznz v ɖ sǎʈ! Cuvrd wɖ îs, it wz onli t b dstnḡśt fṛm land bî its s’pirịr wîldnis n rugidnis. Ɖ Grīcs wept fr jô ẃn ɖe bheld ɖ Mediṭreńn fṛm ɖ hilz v Eźa, n hêld wɖ rapćr ɖ bǎnḍri v ɖer tôlz. I dd nt wīp, bt I nlt dǎn n wɖ a fl hart ʈanct mî gîdñ spirit fr cnductñ m in sefti t ɖ ples ẃr I hopt, ntwɖstandñ mî advrsri’z jîb, t mīt n grapl wɖ him.

Sm wīcs bfr ɖs pirịd I hd pṛkrd a slej n dogz n ɖus tṛvrst ɖ snoz wɖ incnsiṿbl spīd. I nǒ nt ẃɖr ɖ fīnd pzest ɖ sem advantjz, bt I faund ɖt, az bfr I hd dêli lost grǎnd in ɖ psyt, I nǎ gend on him, so mć so ɖt ẃn I frst sw ɖ ośn h wz bt wn de’z jrni in advans, n I hopt t inṭspt him bfr h śd rīć ɖ bīć. Wɖ ny curij, ɖrfr, I prest on, n in tū dez arîvd at a rećid hamlit on ɖ sìśor. I inqîrd v ɖ inhabitnts cnsrnñ ɖ fīnd n gend akṛt inf̣meśn. A jîgantic monstr, ɖe sd, hd arîvd ɖ nît bfr, armd wɖ a gun n mni pistlz, ptñ t flît ɖ inhabitnts v a solitri cotij ʈru fir v hiz t’rific apiṛns. H hd carid of ɖer stor v wintrfūd, n plesñ it in a slej, t drw ẃć h hd sizd on a ńmṛs drov v trênd dogz, h hd harnist ɖm, n ɖ sem nît, t ɖ jô v ɖ horr-struc vilijrz, hd psyd hiz jrni acrs ɖ sì in a d’rex́n ɖt léd t no land; n ɖe cnjcćrd ɖt h mst spīḍli b dstroid bî ɖ brecñ v ɖ îs or frozn bî ɖ itrnl frosts.

On hírñ ɖs inf̣meśn I sufrd a temprri axes v dsper. H hd iscept m, n I mst cmns a dstructiv n olmst endlis jrni acrs ɖ mǎntṇs îsz v ɖ ośn, amdst cold ɖt fy v ɖ inhabitnts cd loñ indyr n ẃć I, ɖ netiv v a jīńl n súni clîṃt, cd nt hop t svîv. Yt at ɖ îdīa ɖt ɖ fīnd śd liv n b trîumfnt, mî rej n vnjns rtrnd, n lîc a mîti tîd, oṿẃlmd evri uɖr fīlñ. Aftr a slît rpoz, jrñ ẃć ɖ spirits v ɖ ded hovrd rnd n instgetd m t tôl n rvnj, I priperd fr mî jrni.

I xćenjd mî landslej fr wn faśnd fr ɖ iniqoḷtiz v ɖ frozn ośn, n prć̣sñ a plentifl stoc v pṛviźnz, I dpartd fṛm land.

I canot ges hǎ mni dez hv pást sins ɖen, bt I hv indyrd miẓri ẃć nʈñ bt ɖ itrnl sntimnt v a just retṛbyśn brnñ wɖn mî hart cd hv inebld m t s’port. Imns n rugid mǎntinz v îs ofn bàrd p mî pasij, n I ofn hŕd ɖ ʈundr v ɖ grǎndsì, ẃć ʈretnd mî dstrux́n. Bt agn ɖ frost cem n md ɖ paɖz v ɖ sì s’kr.

Bî ɖ qontti v pṛviźn ẃć I hd cnsymd, I śd ges ɖt I hd pást ʈri wīcs in ɖs jrni; n ɖ cntińl pṛtrax́n v hop, rtrnñ bac upn ɖ hart, ofn rúñ bitr drops v dspondnsi n grīf fṛm mî îz. Dsper hd indd olmst s’krd hr prei, n I śd sn hv sunc bnʈ ɖs miẓri. Wns, aftr ɖ pur animlz ɖt cnveid m hd wɖ increḍbl tôl gend ɖ sumit v a slǒpñ îsmǎntin, n wn, sncñ undr hiz ftīg, daid, I vyd ɖ xpans bfr m wɖ anḡś, ẃn sudnli mî î còt a darc spec upn ɖ dusci plen. I strend mî sît t dscuvr ẃt it cd b n utrd a wîld crî v xṭsi ẃn I dstnḡśt a slej n ɖ dstortd pṛporśnz v a wel-noun form wɖn. Ǒ! Wɖ ẃt a brnñ guś dd hop rvizit mî hart! Worm tirz fild mî îz, ẃć I hesṭli wîpt awe, ɖt ɖe mt nt inṭspt ɖ vy I hd v ɖ dīmn; bt stl mî sît wz dimd bî ɖ brnñ drops, untl, gvñ we t ɖ imośnz ɖt oprest m, I wept alǎd.

Bt ɖs wz nt ɖ tîm fr dle; I disincumbrd ɖ dogz v ɖer ded cmpańn, gev ɖm a plentifl porśn v fūd, n aftr an aur’z rest, ẃć wz abṣlutli nesṣri, n yt ẃć wz bitrli rcsm t m, I cntinyd mî rùt. Ɖ slej wz stl viẓbl, nr dd I agn lūz sît v it xpt at ɖ momnts ẃn fr a śort tîm sm îsroc cnsild it wɖ its inṭvinñ cragz. I indd psptbli gend on it, n ẃn, aftr nirli tū dez’ jrni, I bheld mî eṇmi at no mor ɖn a mîl distnt, mî hart bǎndd wɖn m.

Bt nǎ, ẃn I apird olmst wɖn grasp v mî fo, mî hops wr sudnli xtnḡśt, n I lost ol tres v him mor utrli ɖn I hd evr dn bfr. A grǎndsì wz hŕd; ɖ ʈundr v its progres, az ɖ wōtrz rold n sweld bnʈ m, bcem evri momnt mor omiṇs n t’rific. I prest on, bt in ven. Ɖ wind arouz; ɖ sì rord; n, az wɖ ɖ mîti śoc v an rʈqec, it split n cract wɖ a tṛmnḍs n oṿẃlmñ sǎnd. Ɖ wrc wz sn finiśt; in a fy minits a tymulćs sì rold btwn m n mî eṇmi, n I wz left driftñ on a scatrd pìs v îs ɖt wz cntińli leṣnñ n ɖus pripẹrñ fr m a hidịs deʈ.

In ɖs manr mni apōlñ aurz pást; sevṛl v mî dogz daid, n I mslf wz abt t snc undr ɖ akḿleśn v dstres ẃn I sw yr vesl rîdñ at ancr n holdñ fʈ t m hops v sucr n lîf. I hd no cnspśn ɖt veslz evr cem so far norʈ n wz astǎndd at ɖ sît. I qcli dstroid part v mî slej t cnstruct òrz, n bî ɖz mīnz wz inebld, wɖ infiṇt ftīg, t muv mî îsraft in ɖ d’rex́n v yr śip. I hd dtrmind, f y wr gwñ sǎʈẉdz, stl t trust mslf t ɖ mrsi v ɖ sìz rɖr ɖn abandn mî prṗs. I hopt t indys y t grant m a bot wɖ ẃć I cd psy mî eṇmi. Bt yr d’rex́n wz norʈẉdz. Y tc m on bōrd ẃn mî vigr wz xōstd, n I śd sn hv sunc undr mî mulṭplaid hardśps intu a deʈ ẃć I stl dred, fr mî tasc z unflfild.

Ǒ! Ẃn wl mî gîdñ spirit, in cnductñ m t ɖ dīmn, alǎ m ɖ rest I so mć dzîr; or mst I dî, n h yt liv? F I d, swer t m, Wōltn, ɖt h śl nt iscep, ɖt y wl sīc him n saṭsfî mî vnjns in hiz deʈ. N d I der t asc v y t unḍtec mî pilgṛmij, t indyr ɖ hardśps ɖt I hv unḍgn? No; I am nt so slfiś. Yt, ẃn I am ded, f h śd apir, f ɖ ministrz v vnjns śd cnduct him t y, swer ɖt h śl nt liv—swer ɖt h śl nt trîumf ovr mî akḿletd woz n svîv t ad t ɖ list v hiz darc crîmz. H z eḷqnt n pswesiv, n wns hiz wrdz hd īvn pǎr ovr mî hart; bt trust him nt. Hiz soul z az heliś az hiz form, fl v treć̣ri n fīnd-lîc malis. Hír him nt; cōl on ɖ nemz v Wiłm, Justīn, Clerval, Iliẓbʈ, mî faɖr, n v ɖ rećid Victr, n ʈrust yr sord intu hiz hart. I wl hovr nir n d’rect ɖ stīl arît.

Wōltn, in cntinyeśn.

Ōġst 26ʈ, 17—

Y hv réd ɖs strenj n t’rific stori, Marġrit; n d y nt fīl yr blud cnjil wɖ horr, lîc ɖt ẃć īvn nǎ crdlz mîn? Smtmz, sizd wɖ sudn aġni, h cd nt cntiny hiz têl; at uɖrz, hiz vôs brocn, yt pirsñ, utrd wɖ dificlti ɖ wrdz so rplit wɖ anḡś. Hiz fîn n luvli îz wr nǎ lîtd p wɖ inḍgneśn, nǎ sbdyd t dǎncast soro n qnćt in infiṇt rećidnis. Smtmz h cmandd hiz cǎntinns n tonz n rletd ɖ most hoṛbl insidnts wɖ a tranqil vôs, s’presñ evri marc v ajteśn; ɖen, lîc a vlceno brstñ fʈ, hiz fes wd sudnli ćenj t an xpreśn v ɖ wîldist rej az h śrīct ǎt impṛceśnz on hiz prṣktr.

Hiz têl z cnctd n tld wɖ an apiṛns v ɖ simplist truʈ, yt I ǒn t y ɖt ɖ letrz v Fīlix n Safī, ẃć h śoud m, n ɖ aṗriśn v ɖ monstr sìn fṛm ǎr śip, bròt t m a gretr cnvix́n v ɖ truʈ v hiz naṛtiv ɖn hiz aseṿreśnz, hvr rnist n cnctd. Sć a monstr hz, ɖen, riyli xistns! I canot dǎt it, yt I am lost in s’prîz n adṃreśn. Smtmz I indevrd t gen fṛm Francnstîn ɖ ptiklrz v hiz crīćr’z formeśn, bt on ɖs pônt h wz impeṇtṛbl.

“R y mad, mî frend?” sd h. “Or ẃiɖr dz yr snslis krioṣti līd y? Wd y olso criet fr yrslf n ɖ wrld a dīṃnaycl eṇmi? Pīs, pīs! Lrn mî miẓriz n d nt sīc t incris yr ǒn.”

Francnstîn dscuvrd ɖt I md nots cnsrnñ hiz hisṭri; h asct t si ɖm n ɖen himslf c’rectd n ōgmntd ɖm in mni plesz, bt prinsipli in gvñ ɖ lîf n spirit t ɖ convseśnz h hld wɖ hiz eṇmi. “Sins y hv prizrvd mî nreśn,” sd h, “I wd nt ɖt a ḿṭletd wn śd g dǎn t psteṛti.”

Ɖus hz a wīc pást awe, ẃl I hv lisnd t ɖ strenjist têl ɖt evr imaɉneśn formd. Mî ʈts n evri fīlñ v mî soul hv bn drunc p bî ɖ inṭrest fr mî gest ẃć ɖs têl n hiz ǒn eḷvetd n jntl manrz hv crietd. I wś t suɖ him, yt cn I cǎnsl wn so infiṇtli mizṛbl, so desttyt v evri hop v conṣleśn, t liv? Ǒ, no! Ɖ onli jô ɖt h cn nǎ nǒ wl b ẃn h cmpozz hiz śatrd spirit t pīs n deʈ. Yt h injôz wn cumf̣t, ɖ ofsprñ v soḷtyd n dlirịm; h b’livz ɖt ẃn in drīmz h holdz convrs wɖ hiz frendz n d’rîvz fṛm ɖt cḿńn conṣleśn fr hiz miẓriz or xîtmnts t hiz vnjns, ɖt ɖe r nt ɖ crieśnz v hiz fansi, bt ɖ biyñz ɖmslvz hu vizit him fṛm ɖ rījnz v a rmot wrld. Ɖs feʈ gvz a s’lemṇti t hiz reṿriz ɖt rendr ɖm t m olmst az impozñ n inṭrestñ az truʈ.

Ǎr convseśnz r nt olwz cnfînd t hiz ǒn hisṭri n msfortynz. On evri pônt v jenṛl litṛćr h dsplez unbǎndd nolij n a qc n pirsñ aprihnśn. Hiz eḷqns z forṣbl n tućñ; nr cn I hír him, ẃn h rlets a pʈetic insidnt or indevrz t muv ɖ paśnz v piti or luv, wɖt tirz. Ẃt a glorịs crīćr mst h hv bn in ɖ dez v hiz pṛspeṛti, ẃn h z ɖus nobl n godlîc in ruin! H sīmz t fīl hiz ǒn wrʈ n ɖ gretnis v hiz fōl.

“Ẃn yungr,” sd h, “I b’livd mslf destind fr sm gret enṭprîz. Mî fīlñz r pṛfǎnd, bt I pzest a cūlnis v jujmnt ɖt fitd m fr ilustrịs aćivmnts. Ɖs sntimnt v ɖ wrʈ v mî nećr s’portd m ẃn uɖrz wd hv bn oprest, fr I dīmd it criminl t ʈro awe in yslis grīf ɖoz taḷnts ɖt mt b ysfl t mî felocrīćrz. Ẃn I rflectd on ɖ wrc I hd cmplitd, no les a wn ɖn ɖ crieśn v a snṣtiv n raṣ́nl animl, I cd nt ranc mslf wɖ ɖ hrd v comn pṛjctrz. Bt ɖs ʈt, ẃć s’portd m in ɖ cmnsmnt v mî c’rir, nǎ srvz onli t plunj m lowr in ɖ dust. Ol mî spekleśnz n hops r az nʈñ, n lîc ɖ arcenjl hu aspîrd t omniṗtns, I am ćend in an itrnl hel. Mî imaɉneśn wz vivid, yt mî pǎrz v anaḷsis n apḷceśn wr intns; bî ɖ yńn v ɖz qoḷtz I cnsivd ɖ îdīa n x’ktd ɖ crieśn v a man. Īvn nǎ I canot rec̣lect wɖt paśn mî reṿriz ẃl ɖ wrc wz incmplit. I trod hevn in mî ʈts, nǎ xultñ in mî pǎrz, nǎ brnñ wɖ ɖ îdīa v ɖer ifcts. Fṛm mî inf̣nsi I wz imbyd wɖ hî hops n a lofti ambiśn; bt hǎ am I sunc! Ǒ! Mî frend, f y hd noun m az I wns wz, y wd nt rec̣gnîz m in ɖs stet v degṛdeśn. Dspondnsi rerli viẓtd mî hart; a hî desṭni sīmd t ber m on, untl I fél, nvr, nvr agn t rîz.”

Mst I ɖen lūz ɖs admṛbl biyñ? I hv loñd fr a frend; I hv sòt wn hu wd simṗʈîz wɖ n luv m. Bhold, on ɖz deẓtsìz I hv faund sć a wn, bt I fir I hv gend him onli t nǒ hiz valy n lūz him. I wd recnsîl him t lîf, bt h rpulsz ɖ îdīa.

“I ʈanc y, Wōltn,” h sd, “fr yr cînd intnśnz twdz so mizṛbl a reć; bt ẃn y spīc v ny tîz n freś afx́nz, ʈnc y ɖt eni cn rples ɖoz hu r gn? Cn eni man b t m az Clerval wz, or eni wmn anɖr Iliẓbʈ? Īvn ẃr ɖ afx́nz r nt stroñli muvd bî eni s’pirịr x’ḷns, ɖ cmpańnz v ǎr ćîldhd olwz pzes a srtn pǎr ovr ǎr mîndz ẃć hardli eni lêtr frend cn obten. Ɖe nǒ ǎr infntîn disṗziśnz, ẃć, hvr ɖe me b aftwdz moḍfaid, r nvr iradcetd; n ɖe cn juj v ǎr ax́nz wɖ mor srtn cncluźnz az t ɖ integṛti v ǎr motivz. A sistr or a bruɖr cn nvr, unls indd sć simtmz hv bn śoun rli, sspct ɖ uɖr v frōd or fōls dīlñ, ẃn anɖr frend, hvr stroñli h me b ataćt, me, in spît v himslf, b contmpletd wɖ sspiśn. Bt I injoid frendz, dir nt onli ʈru habit n asośieśn, bt fṛm ɖer ǒn merits; n ẃrvr I am, ɖ suɖñ vôs v mî Iliẓbʈ n ɖ convseśn v Clerval wl b evr ẃisprd in mî ir. Ɖe r ded, n bt wn fīlñ in sć a soḷtyd cn pswed m t prizrv mî lîf. F I wr ingejd in eni hî unḍtecñ or dzîn, frōt wɖ xtnsiv ytiḷti t mî felocrīćrz, ɖen cd I liv t flfil it. Bt sć z nt mî desṭni; I mst psy n dstrô ɖ biyñ t hūm I gev xistns; ɖen mî lot on rʈ wl b flfild n I me dî.”

Sptmbr 2nd

Mî b’luvid Sistr,

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CONTENTSPEJ