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Ɖ Pṛfesr wz yuñ, nīt, n prisîs in spīć.

‘Yes,’ h sd; ‘mî frendz hv bn mcñ m tec p golf ɖs trm, n I mīn t g t ɖ Īst Cǒst—in pônt v fact t Brnsto—(I der se y nǒ it) fr a wīc or ten dez, t impruv mî gem. I hop t gt of tmoro.’

‘Ǒ, Parcinz,’ sd hiz nebr on ɖ uɖr sîd, ‘f y r gwñ t Brnsto, I wś y wd lc at ɖ sait v ɖ Tmplrz’ prīsepṭri, n let m nǒ f y ʈnc it wd b eni gd t hv a dig ɖr in ɖ suMr’

It wz, az y mt s’poz, a prsn v anṭqerịn psyts hu sd ɖs, bt, sins h mirli apirz in ɖs prolog, ɖr z no nīd t gv hiz intîtlmnts.

‘Srtnli,’ sd Parcinz, ɖ Pṛfesr: ‘f y wl dscrîb t m ẃr’bts ɖ sait z, I wl d mî bst t gv y an îdīa v ɖ lî v ɖ land ẃn I gt bac; or I cd rait t y abt it, f y wd tel m ẃr y r lîcli t b.’

‘D’nt trubl t d ɖt, ʈancs. It’s onli ɖt I’m ʈncñ v tecñ mî faṃli in ɖt d’rex́n in ɖ Loñ, n it ocŕd t m ɖt, az vri fy v ɖ Ñgliś prīsepṭriz hv evr bn proprli pland, I mt hv an oṗtyṇti v dwñ smʈñ ysfl on of-dez.’

Ɖ Pṛfesr rɖr snift at ɖ îdīa ɖt planñ ǎt a prīsepṭri cd b dscrîbd az ysfl. Hiz nebr cntinyd:

‘Ɖ sait—I dǎt f ɖr z enʈñ śowñ abv grǎnd—mst b dǎn qt clos t ɖ bīć nǎ. Ɖ sì hz incroćt tṛmndsli, az y nǒ, ol alñ ɖt bit v cǒst. I śd ʈnc, fṛm ɖ map, ɖt it mst b abt ʈri-qortrz v a mîl fṛm ɖ Glob Ín, at ɖ norʈ end v ɖ tǎn. Ẃr r y gwñ t ste?’

‘Wel, at ɖ Glob Ín, az a matr v fact,’ sd Parcinz; ‘I hv ingejd a rūm ɖr. I cd’nt gt in enẃr els; most v ɖ lojñhǎzz r śut p in wintr, it sīmz; n, az it z, ɖe tel m ɖt ɖ onli rūm v eni sîz I cn hv z riyli a dubl-bedd wn, n ɖt ɖe hv’nt a cornr in ẃć t stor ɖ uɖr bed, n so on. Bt I mst hv a ferli larj rūm, fr I am tecñ sm bcs dǎn, n mīn t d a bit v wrc; n ɖo I d’nt qt fansi hvñ an emti bed—nt t spīc v tū—in ẃt I me cōl fr ɖ tîm biyñ mî studi, I s’poz I cn manij t ruf it fr ɖ śort tîm I śl b ɖr.’

‘D y cōl hvñ an xtra bed in yr rūm rufñ it, Parcinz?’ sd a bluf prsn oṗzit. ‘Lc hir, I śl cm dǎn n okpî it fr a bit; it’l b cumṗni fr y.’

Ɖ Pṛfesr qivrd, bt manijd t laf in a crtịs manr.

‘Bî ol mīnz, Rojrz; ɖr’z nʈñ I śd lîc betr. Bt I’m afreid y wd fînd it rɖr dul; y d’nt ple golf, d y?’

‘No, ʈanc Hevn!’ sd rūd Mr Rojrz.

‘Wel, y si, ẃn I’m nt raitñ I śl most lîcli b ǎt on ɖ lincs, n ɖt, az I se, wd b rɖr dul fr y, I’m afreid.’

‘Ǒ, I d’nt nǒ! Ɖr’z srtn t b smbdi I nǒ in ɖ ples; bt, v cors, f y d’nt wont m, spīc ɖ wrd, Parcinz; I ś’nt b ofndd. Truʈ, az y olwz tel s, z nvr ofnsiv.’

Parcinz wz, indd, scrūpyḷsli p’lît n stricli truʈfl. It z t b fird ɖt Mr Rojrz smtmz practist upn hiz nolij v ɖz caṛcṭristics. In Parcinz’z brest ɖr wz a conflict nǎ rejñ, ẃć fr a momnt or tū dd nt alǎ him t ansr. Ɖt inṭvl biyñ ovr, h sd:

‘Wel, f y wont ɖ xact truʈ, Rojrz, I wz cnsiḍrñ ẃɖr ɖ rūm I spīc v wd riyli b larj inuf t acoṃdet s bʈ cumftbli; n olso ẃɖr (mînd, I śd’nt hv sd ɖs f y hd’nt prest m) y wd nt consttyt smʈñ in ɖ nećr v a hindṛns t mî wrc.’

Rojrz laft lǎdli.

‘Wel dn, Parcinz!’ h sd. ‘It’s ol rît. I promis nt t inṭrupt yr wrc; d’nt y dstrb yrslf abt ɖt. No, I w’nt cm f y d’nt wont m; bt I ʈt I śd d so nîsli t cīp ɖ gosts of.’ Hir h mt hv bn sìn t wnc n t nuj hiz nxt nebr. Parcinz mt olso hv bn sìn t bcm pnc. ‘I beg pardn, Parcinz,’ Rojrz cntinyd; ‘I òt’nt t hv sd ɖt. I fgot y dd’nt lîc leṿti on ɖz topics.’

‘Wel,’ Parcinz sd, ‘az y hv mnśnd ɖ matr, I frīli ǒn ɖt I d nt lîc cerlis tōc abt ẃt y cōl gosts. A man in mî pziśn,’ h wnt on, rezñ hiz vôs a litl, ‘canot, I fînd, b tù cerfl abt apirñ t sañśn ɖ cuṛnt b’lifs on sć subjicts. Az y nǒ, Rojrz, or az y òt t nǒ; fr I ʈnc I hv nvr cnsild mî vyz—’

‘No, y srtnli hv nt, old man,’ pt in Rojrz sotto voce.

‘—I hold ɖt eni smbḷns, eni apiṛns v cnseśn t ɖ vy ɖt sć ʈñz mt xist z iqivḷnt t a rnunsieśn v ol ɖt I hold most secrid. Bt I’m afreid I hv nt s’xidd in s’krñ yr atnśn.’

‘Yr undivîdd atnśn, wz ẃt Dr. Blimbr acć̣li sd,’ Rojrz inṭruptd, wɖ evri apiṛns v an rnist dzîr fr akṛsi. [Mr Rojrz wz roñ, vide “Dombi & Sun,” Ćaptr XII.] ‘Bt I beg yr pardn, Parcinz: I’m stopñ y.’

‘No, nt at ol,’ sd Parcinz. ‘I d’nt rmembr Blimbr; phps h wz bfr mî tîm. Bt I nīd’nt g on. I’m śr y nǒ ẃt I mīn.’

‘Yes, yes,’ sd Rojrz, rɖr hesṭli—‘jst so. W’l g intu it fŭli at Brnsto, or smẃr.’

In rpitñ ɖ abv daylog I hv traid t gv ɖ impreśn ẃć it md on m, ɖt Parcinz wz smʈñ v an old wmn—rɖr henlîc, phps, in hiz litl wez; toṭli desttyt, alas! v ɖ sns v hymr, bt at ɖ sem tîm dōntlis n snsir in hiz cnvix́nz, n a man dzrvñ v ɖ gretist rspct. Ẃɖr or nt ɖ rīdr hz gaɖrd so mć, ɖt wz ɖ caṛctr ẃć Parcinz hd.

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Ɖ rest v ɖ popyleśn v ɖ ín wz, v cors, a golfñ wn, n includd fy elimnts ɖt cōl fr a speśl dscripśn. Ɖ most cnspiks figr wz, phps, ɖt v an ancien militaire, secṛtri v a Lundn club, n pzest v a vôs v increḍbl streñʈ, n v vyz v a pṛnǎnsidli Protistnt tîp. Ɖz wr apt t fînd utṛns aftr hiz atndns upn ɖ miṇstreśnz v ɖ Vicr, an estiṃbl man wɖ incḷneśnz twdz a picćresc rićl, ẃć h gaḷntli cept dǎn az far az h cd ǎt v defṛns t Īst Angłn tṛdiśn.

Pṛfesr Parcinz, wn v huz prinsipl caṛcṭristics wz pluc, spent ɖ gretr part v ɖ de folowñ hiz arîvl at Brnsto in ẃt h hd cōld impruvñ hiz gem, in cumṗni wɖ ɖs Crnl Wilsn: n jrñ ɖ afṭnun—ẃɖr ɖ proses v impruvmnt wr t blem or nt, I am nt śr—ɖ Crnl’z dmīnr asymd a cuḷrñ so lŭrid ɖt īvn Parcinz jibd at ɖ ʈt v wōcñ hom wɖ him fṛm ɖ lincs. H dtrmind, aftr a śort n frtiv lc at ɖt briṣlñ mstaś n ɖoz incarṇdînd fīćrz, ɖt it wd b wîzr t alǎ ɖ inflụnsz v ti n tbaco t d ẃt ɖe cd wɖ ɖ Crnl bfr ɖ dinr aur śd rendr a mītñ inevitbl.

‘I mt wōc hom tnît alñ ɖ bīć,’ h rflectd—‘yes, n tec a lc—ɖr wl b lît inuf fr ɖt—at ɖ ruinz v ẃć Dizni wz tōcñ. I d’nt xacli nǒ ẃr ɖe r, bî ɖ we; bt I xpct I cn hardli hlp stumḅlñ on ɖm.’

Ɖs h acumpliśt, I me se, in ɖ most litṛl sns, fr in picñ hiz we fṛm ɖ lincs t ɖ śnglbīć hiz ft còt, partli in a gorsrūt n partli in a bgiś ston, n ovr h wnt. Ẃn h got p n sveid hiz srǎndñz, h faund himslf in a pać v smẃt brocn grǎnd cuvrd wɖ smōl dpreśnz n mǎndz. Ɖz latr, ẃn h cem t xamin ɖm, pruvd t b simpli masz v flints imbedd in mortr n groun ovr wɖ trf. H mst, h qt rîtli cncludd, b on ɖ sait v ɖ prīsepṭri h hd promist t lc at. It sīmd nt unlîcli t rword ɖ sped v ɖ xplorr; inuf v ɖ fǎndeśnz wz probbli left at no gret depʈ t ʈro a gd dīl v lît on ɖ jenṛl plan. H rmembrd vegli ɖt ɖ Tmplrz, t hūm ɖs sait hd b’loñd, wr in ɖ habit v bildñ rǎnd ćrćz, n h ʈt a ptiklr siriz v ɖ humps or mǎndz nir him dd apir t b arenjd in smʈñ v a srklr form. Fy ppl cn rzist ɖ tmteśn t trî a litl aṃćr rsrć in a dpartmnt qt ǎtsd ɖer ǒn, f onli fr ɖ saṭsfax́n v śowñ hǎ s’xesfl ɖe wd hv bn hd ɖe onli tecn it p sirịsli. Ǎr Pṛfesr, hvr, f h flt smʈñ v ɖs mīn dzîr, wz olso trūli añśs t oblîj Mr Dizni. So h pêst wɖ cer ɖ srklr eria h hd notist, n rout dǎn its ruf dmnśnz in hiz pocit-bc. Ɖen h pṛsidd t xamin an obloñ eminns ẃć le īst v ɖ sntr v ɖ srcl, n sīmd t hiz ʈncñ lîcli t b ɖ bes v a platform or ōltr. At wn end v it, ɖ norɖn, a pać v ɖ trf wz gn—rmuvd bî sm bô or uɖr crīćr ferae naturae. It mt, h ʈt, b az wel t prob ɖ sôl hir fr evidnsz v mesnri, n h tc ǎt hiz nîf n bgan screpñ awe ɖ rʈ. N nǎ foloud anɖr litl dscuṿri: a porśn v sôl fél inwd az h scrept, n dsclozd a smōl caṿti. H lîtd wn mać aftr anɖr t hlp him t si v ẃt nećr ɖ houl wz, bt ɖ wind wz tù stroñ fr ɖm ol. Bî tapñ n scraćñ ɖ sîdz wɖ hiz nîf, hvr, h wz ebl t mc ǎt ɖt it mst b an arṭfiśl houl in mesnri. It wz rectanğlr, n ɖ sîdz, top, n botm, f nt acć̣li plastrd, wr smuɖ n reğlr. V cors it wz emti. No! Az h wɖdru ɖ nîf h hŕd a mtalic clinc, n ẃn h intṛdyst hiz hand it met wɖ a s’lindricl objict layñ on ɖ flor v ɖ houl. Naćṛli inuf, h pict it p, n ẃn h bròt it intu ɖ lît, nǎ fast fedñ, h cd si ɖt it, tù, wz v man’z mcñ—a metl tyb abt for inćz loñ, n evidntli v sm cnsidṛbl ej.

Bî ɖ tîm Parcinz hd md śr ɖt ɖr wz nʈñ els in ɖs od rspticl, it wz tù lêt n tù darc fr him t ʈnc v unḍtecñ eni frɖr srć. Ẃt h hd dn hd pruvd so unixpctidli inṭrestñ ɖt h dtrmind t sacṛfîs a litl mor v ɖ dêlît on ɖ moro t arcioḷji. Ɖ objict ẃć h nǎ hd sef in hiz pocit wz baund t b v sm slît valy at līst, h flt śr.

Blīc n soḷm wz ɖ vy on ẃć h tc a last lc bfr startñ homẉd. A fent yelo lît in ɖ wst śoud ɖ lincs, on ẃć a fy figrz muvñ twdz ɖ clubhǎs wr stl viẓbl, ɖ sqot martelo tǎr, ɖ lîts v Ōldzi vilij, ɖ pel ribn v sandz inṭsctd at inṭvlz bî blac wŭdn grônñz, ɖ dim n mrṃrñ sì. Ɖ wind wz bitr fṛm ɖ norʈ, bt wz at hiz bac ẃn h set ǎt fr ɖ Glob. H qcli ratld n claśt ʈru ɖ śngl n gend ɖ sand, upn ẃć, bt fr ɖ grônñz ẃć hd t b got ovr evri fy yardz, ɖ gwñ wz bʈ gd n qayt. Wn last lc bhnd, t meźr ɖ distns h hd md sins līvñ ɖ ruind Tmplrz’ ćrć, śoud him a prospect v cumṗni on hiz wōc, in ɖ śep v a rɖr indistñt prṣnij, hu sīmd t b mcñ gret ef̣ts t cać p wɖ him, bt md litl, f eni, progres. I mīn ɖt ɖr wz an apiṛns v runñ abt hiz muvmnts, bt ɖt ɖ distns btwn him n Parcinz dd nt sīm mtirịli t lesn. So, at līst, Parcinz ʈt, n dsîdd ɖt h olmst srtnli dd nt nǒ him, n ɖt it wd b absrd t wêt untl h cem p. Fr ol ɖt, cumṗni, h bgan t ʈnc, wd riyli b vri welcm on ɖt lonli śor, f onli y cd ćūz yr cmpańn. In hiz uninlîtnd dez h hd réd v mītñz in sć plesz ẃć īvn nǎ wd hardli ber ʈncñ v. H wnt on ʈncñ v ɖm, hvr, untl h rīćt hom, n ptiklrli v wn ẃć caćz most ppl’z fansi at sm tîm v ɖer ćîldhd. ‘Nǎ I sw in mî drīm ɖt Crisćn hd gn bt a vri litl we ẃn h sw a fǎl fīnd cmñ ovr ɖ fīld t mīt him.’ ‘Ẃt śd I d nǎ,’ h ʈt, ‘f I lct bac n còt sît v a blac figr śarpli dfînd agnst ɖ yelo scî, n sw ɖt it hd hornz n wñz? I wundr ẃɖr I śd stand or run fr it. Luc̣li, ɖ jntlmn bhnd z nt v ɖt cnd, n h sīmz t b abt az far of nǎ az ẃn I sw him frst. Wel, at ɖs ret, h w’nt gt hiz dinr az sn az I śl; n, dir m! it’s wɖn a qortr v an aur v ɖ tîm nǎ. I mst run!’

Parcinz hd, in fact, vri litl tîm fr dresñ. Ẃn h met ɖ Crnl at dinr, Pīs—or az mć v hr az ɖt jntlmn cd manij—rênd wns mor in ɖ militri bŭzm; nr wz ś pt t flît in ɖ aurz v brij ɖt foloud dinr, fr Parcinz wz a mor ɖn rspctbl pleyr. Ẃn, ɖrfr, h rtîrd twdz twelv o’cloc, h flt ɖt h hd spent hiz īvnñ in qt a saṭsfactri we, n ɖt, īvn fr so loñ az a fortnît or ʈri wīcs, lîf at ɖ Glob wd b s’portbl undr similr cndiśnz—’ispeṣ́li,’ ʈt h, ‘f I g on impruvñ mî gem.’

Az h wnt alñ ɖ paṣjz h met ɖ būts v ɖ Glob, hu stopt n sd:

‘Beg yr pardn, sr, bt az I wz abruśñ yr cot jst nǎ ɖr wz smʈñ fél ǎt v ɖ pocit. I pt it on yr ćst v drorz, sr, in yr rūm, sr—a pìs v a pîp or sumʈnc v ɖt, sr. Ʈanc y, sr. Y’l fînd it on yr ćst v drorz, sr—yes, sr. Gd nît, sr.’

Ɖ spīć srvd t rmînd Parcinz v hiz litl dscuṿri v ɖt afṭnun. It wz wɖ sm cnsidṛbl krioṣti ɖt h trnd it ovr bî ɖ lît v hiz candlz. It wz v bronz, h nǎ sw, n wz śept vri mć aftr ɖ manr v ɖ modn dogẃisl; in fact it wz—yes, srtnli it wz—acć̣li no mor nr les ɖn a ẃisl. H pt it t hiz lips, bt it wz qt fl v a fîn, cect-up sand or rʈ, ẃć wd nt yīld t nocñ, bt mst b lūsnd wɖ a nîf. Tîdi az evr in hiz habits, Parcinz clird ǎt ɖ rʈ on t a pìs v pepr, n tc ɖ latr t ɖ windo t emti it ǎt. Ɖ nît wz clir n brît, az h sw ẃn h hd opnd ɖ cesmnt, n h stopt fr an instnt t lc at ɖ sì n not a b’letd wondrr steśnd on ɖ śor in frunt v ɖ ín. Ɖen h śut ɖ windo, a litl s’prîzd at ɖ lêt aurz ppl cept at Brnsto, n tc hiz ẃisl t ɖ lît agn. Ẃ, śrli ɖr wr marcs on it, n nt mirli marcs, bt letrz! A vri litl rubñ rendrd ɖ dīpli-cut inscripśn qt leɉbl, bt ɖ Pṛfesr hd t cnfes, aftr sm rnist ʈt, ɖt ɖ mīnñ v it wz az obskr t him az ɖ raitñ on ɖ wōl t Belśazr. Ɖr wr lejndz bʈ on ɖ frunt n on ɖ bac v ɖ ẃisl. Ɖ wn réd ɖus:

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H blù tnttivli n stopt sudnli, startld n yt plizd at ɖ not h hd iliṣtd. It hd a qoḷti v infiṇt distns in it, n, soft az it wz, h smhǎ flt it mst b ōḍbl fr mîlz rnd. It wz a sǎnd, tù, ɖt sīmd t hv ɖ pǎr (ẃć mni sénts pzes) v formñ picćrz in ɖ bren. H sw qt clirli fr a momnt a viźn v a wîd, darc xpans at nît, wɖ a freś wind blowñ, n in ɖ mdst a lonli figr—hǎ imploid, h cd nt tel. Phps h wd hv sìn mor hd nt ɖ picćr bn brocn bî ɖ sudn srj v a gust v wind agnst hiz cesmnt, so sudn ɖt it md him lc p, jst in tîm t si ɖ ẃît glint v a sìbrd’z wñ smẃr ǎtsd ɖ darc peinz.

Ɖ sǎnd v ɖ ẃisl hd so faṣnetd him ɖt h cd nt hlp trayñ it wns mor, ɖs tîm mor boldli. Ɖ not wz litl, f at ol, lǎdr ɖn bfr, n reṗtiśn brouc ɖ iluźn—no picćr foloud, az h hd haf hopt it mt. “Bt ẃt z ɖs? Gdnis! ẃt fors ɖ wind cn gt p in a fy minits! Ẃt a tṛmnḍs gust! Ɖr! I ń ɖt windofaṣnñ wz no ys! Ā! I ʈt so—bʈ candlz ǎt. It z inuf t ter ɖ rūm t pìsz.”

Ɖ frst ʈñ wz t gt ɖ windo śut. Ẃl y mt cǎnt twenti, Parcinz wz struġlñ wɖ ɖ smōl cesmnt, n flt olmst az f h wr pśñ bac a strdi brglr, so stroñ wz ɖ preśr. It slacnd ol at wns, n ɖ windo bañd t n laćt itslf. Nǎ t rīlît ɖ candlz n si ẃt damij, f eni, hd bn dn. No, nʈñ sīmd amis; no glas īvn wz brocn in ɖ cesmnt. Bt ɖ nôz hd evidntli rǎzd at līst wn membr v ɖ hǎshold: ɖ Crnl wz t b hŕd stumpñ in hiz stocñd fīt on ɖ flor abv, n grǎlñ. Qcli az it hd rizn, ɖ wind dd nt fōl at wns. On it wnt, monñ n ruśñ past ɖ hǎs, at tîmz rîzñ t a crî so dezḷt ɖt, az Parcinz disinṭrestidli sd, it mt hv md fansifl ppl fīl qt uncumftbl; īvn ɖ unimajiṇtiv, h ʈt aftr a qortr v an aur, mt b hapịr wɖt it.

Ẃɖr it wz ɖ wind, or ɖ xîtmnt v golf, or v ɖ rsrćz in ɖ prīsepṭri ɖt cept Parcinz awec, h wz nt śr. Awec h rmend, in eni ces, loñ inuf t fansi (az I am afreid I ofn d mslf undr sć cndiśnz) ɖt h wz ɖ victim v ol manr v fetl dsordrz: h wd lî cǎntñ ɖ bìts v hiz hart, cnvinst ɖt it wz gwñ t stop wrc evri momnt, n wd entten grev sspiśnz v hiz luñz, bren, livr, ets.—sspiśnz ẃć h wz śr wd b dspeld bî ɖ rtrn v dêlît, bt ẃć untl ɖen rfyzd t b pt asd. H faund a litl vcerịs cumf̣t in ɖ îdīa ɖt smwn els wz in ɖ sem bot. A nir nebr (in ɖ darcnis it wz nt īzi t tel hiz d’rex́n) wz tosñ n ruṣlñ in hiz bed, tù.

Ɖ nxt stej wz ɖt Parcinz śut hiz îz n dtrmind t gv slīp evri ćans. Hir agn oṿixîtmnt asrtd itslf in anɖr form—ɖt v mcñ picćrz. Experto crede, picćrz d cm t ɖ clozd îz v wn trayñ t slīp, n r ofn so litl t hiz test ɖt h mst opn hiz îz n dsprs ɖm.

Parcinz’z xpirịns on ɖs oceźn wz a vri dstresñ wn. H faund ɖt ɖ picćr ẃć prizntd itslf t him wz cntinẏs. Ẃn h opnd hiz îz, v cors, it wnt; bt ẃn h śut ɖm wns mor it fremd itslf afreś, n actd itslf ǎt agn, nɖr qcr nr slowr ɖn bfr. Ẃt h sw wz ɖs:

A loñ streć v śor—śngl éjd bî sand, n inṭsctd at śort inṭvlz wɖ blac grônz runñ dǎn t ɖ wōtr—a sīn, in fact, so lîc ɖt v hiz afṭnun’z wōc ɖt, in ɖ absns v eni landmarc, it cd nt b dstnḡśt ɖr-fṛm. Ɖ lît wz obskr, cnveyñ an impreśn v gaɖ̇rñ storm, lêt wintr īvnñ, n slît cold ren. On ɖs blīc stej at frst no actr wz viẓbl. Ɖen, in ɖ distns, a bobñ blac objict apird; a momnt mor, n it wz a man runñ, jumpñ, clamḅrñ ovr ɖ grônz, n evri fy secndz lcñ īgrli bac. Ɖ nirr h cem ɖ mor obvịs it wz ɖt h wz nt onli añśs, bt īvn teṛbli frîtnd, ɖo hiz fes wz nt t b dstnḡśt. H wz, morovr, olmst at ɖ end v hiz streñʈ. On h cem; ć s’xesiv obsṭcl sīmd t cōz him mor dificlti ɖn ɖ last. ‘Wl h gt ovr ɖs nxt wn?’ ʈt Parcinz; ‘it sīmz a litl hayr ɖn ɖ uɖrz.’ Yes; haf clîmñ, haf ʈrowñ himslf, h dd gt ovr, n fél ol in a hīp on ɖ uɖr sîd (ɖ sîd nirist t ɖ spectetr). Ɖr, az f riyli unebl t gt p agn, h rmend crǎćñ undr ɖ grôn, lcñ p in an attyd v penfl añzayti.

So far no cōz ẃtvr fr ɖ fir v ɖ runr hd bn śoun; bt nǎ ɖr bgan t b sìn, far p ɖ śor, a litl flicr v smʈñ lît-culrd muvñ t n fro wɖ gret swiftnis n ireğlaṛti. Rapidli growñ larjr, it, tù, dclerd itslf az a figr in pel, fluṭrñ dreṗriz, il-dfînd. Ɖr wz smʈñ abt its mośn ẃć md Parcinz vri unwilñ t si it at clos qortrz. It wd stop, rêz armz, bǎ itslf twdz ɖ sand, ɖen run stūpñ acrs ɖ bīć t ɖ wōtr éj n bac agn; n ɖen, rîzñ uprît, wns mor cntiny its cors fwd at a spīd ɖt wz starṭlñ n teṛfayñ. Ɖ momnt cem ẃn ɖ psywr wz hoṿrñ abt fṛm left t rît onli a fy yardz bynd ɖ grôn ẃr ɖ runr le in hîdñ. Aftr tū or ʈri inifcćl castñz hiɖr n ɖiɖr it cem t a stop, std uprît, wɖ armz rezd hî, n ɖen dartd stret fwd twdz ɖ grôn.

It wz at ɖs pônt ɖt Parcinz olwz feld in hiz reẓluśn t cīp hiz îz śut. Wɖ mni msgvñz az t insipịnt fełr v îsît, oṿwrct bren, xesiv smocñ, n so on, h fîṇli rzînd himslf t lît hiz candl, gt ǎt a bc, n pas ɖ nît wecñ, rɖr ɖn b tormntd bî ɖs psistnt paṇrama, ẃć h sw clirli inuf cd onli b a morbid rflex́n v hiz wōc n hiz ʈts on ɖt vri de.

Ɖ screpñ v mać on box n ɖ gler v lît mst hv startld sm crīćrz v ɖ nît—rats or ẃt nt—ẃć h hŕd scuri acrs ɖ flor fṛm ɖ sîd v hiz bed wɖ mć ruṣlñ. Dir, dir! ɖ mać z ǎt! Fūl ɖt it z! Bt ɖ secnd wn brnt betr, n a candl n bc wr dyli pṛkrd, ovr ẃć Parcinz pord tl slīp v a holsm cnd cem upn him, n ɖt in no loñ spes. Fr abt ɖ frst tîm in hiz ordrli n prūdnt lîf h fgot t blo ǎt ɖ candl, n ẃn h wz cōld nxt mornñ at et ɖr wz stl a flicr in ɖ socit n a sad mes v gutrd grīs on ɖ top v ɖ litl tebl.

Aftr brecfst h wz in hiz rūm, ptñ ɖ fiṇśñtućz t hiz golfñcostym—fortyn hd agn alotd ɖ Crnl t him fr a partnr—ẃn wn v ɖ meidz cem in.

‘Ǒ, f y plīz,’ ś sd, ‘wd y lîc eni xtra blancits on yr bed, sr?’

‘Ā! ʈanc y,’ sd Parcinz. ‘Yes, I ʈnc I śd lîc wn. It sīmz lîcli t trn rɖr coldr.’

In a vri śort tîm ɖ meid wz bac wɖ ɖ blancit.

‘Ẃć bed śd I pt it on, sr?’ ś asct.

‘Ẃt? Ẃ, ɖt wn—ɖ wn I slept in last nît,’ h sd, pôntñ t it.

‘Ǒ yes! I beg yr pardn, sr, bt y sīmd t hv traid bʈ v ’m; lìstwez, w hd t mc ’m bʈ p ɖs mornñ.’

‘Riyli? Hǎ vri absrd!’ sd Parcinz. ‘I srtnli nvr tućt ɖ uɖr, xpt t le sm ʈñz on it. Dd it acć̣li sīm t hv bn slept in?’

‘Ǒ yes, sr!’ sd ɖ meid. ‘Ẃ, ol ɖ ʈñz wz crumpld n ʈroud abt ol wez, f y’l xkz m, sr—qt az f enwn ’adn’t pást bt a vri pur nît, sr.’

‘Dir m,’ sd Parcinz. ‘Wel, I me hv dsordrd it mor ɖn I ʈt ẃn I unpáct mî ʈñz. I’m vri sori t hv gvn y ɖ xtra trubl, I’m śr. I xpct a frend v mîn sn, bî ɖ we—a jntlmn fṛm Cembrij—t cm n okpî it fr a nît or tū. Ɖt wl b ol rît, I s’poz, w’nt it?’

‘Ǒ yes, t b śr, sr. Ʈanc y, sr. It’s no trubl, I’m śr,’ sd ɖ meid, n dpartd t gigl wɖ hr colīgz.

Parcinz set fʈ, wɖ a strn dtrṃneśn t impruv hiz gem.

I am glad t b ebl t rport ɖt h s’xidd so far in ɖs enṭprîz ɖt ɖ Crnl, hu hd bn rɖr rpînñ at ɖ prospect v a secnd de’z ple in hiz cumṗni, bcem qt ćati az ɖ mornñ advanst; n hiz vôs būmd ǎt ovr ɖ flats, az srtn olso v ǎr ǒn mînr powts hv sd, ‘lîc sm gret bordn in a minstrtǎr’.

‘Xtrordnri wind, ɖt, w hd last nît,’ h sd. ‘In mî old hom w śd hv sd smwn hd bn ẃiṣlñ fr it.’

‘Śd y, indd!’ sd Parcinz. ‘Z ɖr a sūṗstiśn v ɖt cnd stl cuṛnt in yr part v ɖ cuntri?’

‘I d’nt nǒ abt sūṗstiśn,’ sd ɖ Crnl. ‘Ɖe b’liv in it ol ovr Denmarc n Norwe, az wel az on ɖ Yorx́r cǒst; n mî xpirịns z, mînd y, ɖt ɖr’z jenṛli smʈñ at ɖ botm v ẃt ɖz cuntrifoc hold t, n hv hld t fr jeṇreśnz. Bt it’s yr drîv’ (or ẃtvr it mt hv bn: ɖ golfñrīdr wl hv t imajin aproprịt dgreśnz at ɖ propr inṭvlz).

Ẃn convseśn wz rzymd, Parcinz sd, wɖ a slît heztnsi:

‘A propos v ẃt y wr seyñ jst nǎ, Crnl, I ʈnc I òt t tel y ɖt mî ǒn vyz on sć subjicts r vri stroñ. I am, in fact, a cnvinst disḅlivr in ẃt z cōld ɖ “sūṗnaćṛl”.’

‘Ẃt!’ sd ɖ Crnl, ‘d y mīn t tel m y d’nt b’liv in secnd-sît, or gosts, or enʈñ v ɖt cnd?’

‘In nʈñ ẃtvr v ɖt cnd,’ rtrnd Parcinz frmli.

‘Wel,’ sd ɖ Crnl, ‘bt it apirz t m at ɖt ret, sr, ɖt y mst b litl betr ɖn a Sadysi.’

Parcinz wz on ɖ pônt v anṣrñ ɖt, in hiz opińn, ɖ Sadysiz wr ɖ most snṣbl prsnz h hd evr réd v in ɖ Old Tsṭmnt; bt fīlñ sm dǎt az t ẃɖr mć mnśn v ɖm wz t b faund in ɖt wrc, h prifŕd t laf ɖ akześn of.

‘Phps I am,’ h sd; ‘bt—Hir, gv m mî clīc, bô!—Xkz m wn momnt, Crnl.’ A śort inṭvl. ‘Nǎ, az t ẃiṣlñ fr ɖ wind, let m gv y mî ʈiyri abt it. Ɖ lwz ẃć guvn windz r riyli nt at ol prf̣cli noun—t fiśrfoc n sć, v cors, nt noun at ol. A man or wmn v xntric habits, phps, or a strenjr, z sìn rpitidli on ɖ bīć at sm unyźl aur, n z hŕd ẃiṣlñ. Sn aftwdz a vayḷnt wind rîzz; a man hu cd rīd ɖ scî prf̣cli or hu pzest a b’romitr cd hv fōrtold ɖt it wd. Ɖ simpl ppl v a fiśñvilij hv no b’romitrz, n onli a fy ruf rūlz fr prof̣sayñ weɖr. Ẃt mor naćṛl ɖn ɖt ɖ xntric prṣnij I posć̣letd śd b rgardd az hvñ rezd ɖ wind, or ɖt h or ś śd cluć īgrli at ɖ repyteśn v biyñ ebl t d so? Nǎ, tec last nît’s wind: az it hapnz, I mslf wz ẃiṣlñ. I blù a ẃisl twîs, n ɖ wind sīmd t cm abṣlutli in ansr t mî cōl. F enwn hd sìn m—’

Ɖ ōdịns hd bn a litl restiv undr ɖs hrañ, n Parcinz hd, I fir, fōḷn smẃt intu ɖ ton v a lecćrr; bt at ɖ last sntns ɖ Crnl stopt.

‘Ẃiṣlñ, wr y?’ h sd. ‘N ẃt sort v ẃisl dd y yz?

Ple ɖs stroc frst.’ Inṭvl.

‘Abt ɖt ẃisl y wr ascñ, Crnl. It’s rɖr a krịs wn. I hv it in mî—No; I si I’v left it in mî rūm. Az a matr v fact, I faund it yesṭde.’

N ɖen Parcinz nretd ɖ manr v hiz dscuṿri v ɖ ẃisl, upn hírñ ẃć ɖ Crnl gruntd, n opînd ɖt, in Parcinz’z ples, h śd himslf b cerfl abt yzñ a ʈñ ɖt hd b’loñd t a set v Pepists, v hūm, spīcñ jenṛli, it mt b afrmd ɖt y nvr ń ẃt ɖe mt nt hv bn p t. Fṛm ɖs topic h dvrjd t ɖ inorṃtiz v ɖ Vicr, hu hd gvn notis on ɖ prīvịs Súnde ɖt Frîde wd b ɖ Fīst v St Toṃs ɖ Aposl, n ɖt ɖr wd b srvis at ilevn o’cloc in ɖ ćrć. Ɖs n uɖr similr pṛsidñz consttytd in ɖ Crnl’z vy a stroñ prizumśn ɖt ɖ Vicr wz a cnsild Pepist, f nt a Jeźuit; n Parcinz, hu cd nt vri reḍli folo ɖ Crnl in ɖs rījn, dd nt dis’gri wɖ him. In fact, ɖe got on so wel tgɖr in ɖ mornñ ɖt ɖr wz nt tōc on îɖr sîd v ɖer seṗretñ aftr lunć.

Bʈ cntinyd t ple wel jrñ ɖ afṭnun, or at līst, wel inuf t mc ɖm fget evrʈñ els untl ɖ lît bgan t fel ɖm. Nt untl ɖen dd Parcinz rmembr ɖt h hd mnt t d sm mor invstgetñ at ɖ prīsepṭri; bt it wz v no gret importns, h rflectd. Wn de wz az gd az anɖr; h mt az wel g hom wɖ ɖ Crnl.

Az ɖe trnd ɖ cornr v ɖ hǎs, ɖ Crnl wz olmst noct dǎn bî a bô hu ruśt intu him at ɖ vri top v hiz spīd, n ɖen, instd v runñ awe, rmend haññ on t him n pantñ. Ɖ frst wrdz v ɖ worịr wr naćṛli ɖoz v rprūf n obɉgeśn, bt h vri qcli dsrnd ɖt ɖ bô wz olmst spīćlis wɖ frît. Inqîriz wr yslis at frst. Ẃn ɖ bô got hiz breʈ h bgan t hǎl, n stl cluñ t ɖ Crnl’z legz. H wz at last dtaćt, bt cntinyd t hǎl.

‘Ẃt in ɖ wrld z ɖ matr wɖ y? Ẃt hv y bn p t? Ẃt hv y sìn?’ sd ɖ tū men.

‘Ǎ, I sìn it wîv at m ǎt v ɖ winda,’ weild ɖ bô, ‘n I d’nt lîc it.’

‘Ẃt windo?’ sd ɖ iṛtetd Crnl. ‘Cm pl yrslf tgɖr, mî bô.’

‘Ɖ frunt winda it wz, at ɖ ’otel,’ sd ɖ bô.

At ɖs pônt Parcinz wz in fevr v sndñ ɖ bô hom, bt ɖ Crnl rfyzd; h wontd t gt t ɖ botm v it, h sd; it wz most denjṛs t gv a bô sć a frît az ɖs wn hd hd, n f it trnd ǎt ɖt ppl hd bn pleyñ jocs, ɖe śd sufr fr it in sm we. N bî a siriz v qsćnz h md ǎt ɖs stori: Ɖ bô hd bn pleyñ abt on ɖ gras in frunt v ɖ Glob wɖ sm uɖrz; ɖen ɖe hd gn hom t ɖer tiz, n h wz jst gwñ, ẃn h hapnd t lc p at ɖ frunt winda n si it awîvñ at him. It sīmd t b a figr v sm sort, in ẃît az far az h ń—cd’nt si its fes; bt it wîvd at him, n it wor’nt a rît ʈñ—nt t se nt a rît prsn. Wz ɖr a lît in ɖ rūm? No, h dd’nt ʈnc t lc f ɖr wz a lît. Ẃć wz ɖ windo? Wz it ɖ top wn or ɖ secnd wn? Ɖ secind wn it wz—ɖ big winda ẃt got tū litl ’nz at ɖ sîdz.

‘Vri wel, mî bô,’ sd ɖ Crnl, aftr a fy mor qsćnz. ‘Y run awe hom nǎ. I xpct it wz sm prsn trayñ t gv y a start. Anɖr tîm, lîc a brev Ñgliś bô, y jst ʈro a ston—wel, no, nt ɖt xacli, bt y g n spīc t ɖ wêtr, or t Mr Simpsn, ɖ landlord, n—yes—n se ɖt I advîzd y t d so.’

Ɖ bô’z fes xprest sm v ɖ dǎt h flt az t ɖ lîclihd v Mr Simpsn’z lendñ a fevṛbl ir t hiz cmplent, bt ɖ Crnl dd nt apir t psiv ɖs, n wnt on:

‘N hir’z a sixpns—no, I si it’s a śilñ—n y b of hom, n d’nt ʈnc eni mor abt it.’

Ɖ yʈ hurid of wɖ ajtetd ʈancs, n ɖ Crnl n Parcinz wnt rnd t ɖ frunt v ɖ Glob n rec̣nôtrd. Ɖr wz onli wn windo anṣrñ t ɖ dscripśn ɖe hd bn hírñ.

‘Wel, ɖt’s krịs,’ sd Parcinz; ‘it’s evidntli mî windo ɖ lad wz tōcñ abt. Wl y cm p fr a momnt, Crnl Wilsn? W òt t b ebl t si f enwn hz bn tecñ liḅtiz in mî rūm.’

Ɖe wr sn in ɖ pasij, n Parcinz md az f t opn ɖ dor.

Ɖen h stopt n flt in hiz pocits.

‘Ɖs z mor sirịs ɖn I ʈt,’ wz hiz nxt rmarc. ‘I rmembr nǎ ɖt bfr I startd ɖs mornñ I loct ɖ dor. It z loct nǎ, n, ẃt z mor, hir z ɖ ci.’ N h hld it p. ‘Nǎ,’ h wnt on, ‘f ɖ srvnts r in ɖ habit v gwñ intu wn’z rūm jrñ ɖ de ẃn wn z awe, I cn onli se ɖt—wel, ɖt I d’nt apruv v it at ol.’ Conśs v a smẃt wìc clîmax, h bizid himslf in oṗnñ ɖ dor (ẃć wz indd loct) n in lîtñ candlz. ‘No,’ h sd, ‘nʈñ sīmz dstrbd.’

‘Xpt yr bed,’ pt in ɖ Crnl.

‘Xkz m, ɖt z’nt mî bed,’ sd Parcinz. ‘I d’nt yz ɖt wn. Bt it dz lc az f smwn hd bn pleyñ trics wɖ it.’

It srtnli dd: ɖ cloɖz wr bundld p n twistd tgɖr in a most torćs cnfyźn. Parcinz pondrd.

‘Ɖt mst b it,’ h sd at last. ‘I dsordrd ɖ cloɖz last nît in unpacñ, n ɖe hv’nt md it sins. Phps ɖe cem in t mc it, n ɖt bô sw ɖm ʈru ɖ windo; n ɖen ɖe wr cōld awe n loct ɖ dor aftr ɖm. Yes, I ʈnc ɖt mst b it.’

‘Wel, rñ n asc,’ sd ɖ Crnl, n ɖs apild t Parcinz az practicl.

Ɖ meid apird, n, t mc a loñ stori śort, dpozd ɖt ś hd md ɖ bed in ɖ mornñ ẃn ɖ jntlmn wz in ɖ rūm, n hd’nt bn ɖr sins. No, ś hd’nt no uɖr ci. Mr Simpsn, h cep’ ɖ ciz; h’d b ebl t tel ɖ jntlmn f enwn hd bn p.

Ɖs wz a puzl. Invstgeśn śoud ɖt nʈñ v valy hd bn tecn, n Parcinz rmembrd ɖ dispziśn v ɖ smōl objicts on teblz n so fʈ wel inuf t b priti śr ɖt no prancs hd bn pleid wɖ ɖm. Mr n Msz Simpsn frɖrmr agrìd ɖt nɖr v ɖm hd gvn ɖ dyplic̣t ci v ɖ rūm t eni prsn ẃtvr jrñ ɖ de. Nr cd Parcinz, fer-mîndd man az h wz, dtct enʈñ in ɖ dmīnr v mastr, mistris, or meid ɖt indcetd gilt. H wz mć mor inclînd t ʈnc ɖt ɖ bô hd bn impozñ on ɖ Crnl.

Ɖ latr wz unwontidli sîḷnt n pnsiv at dinr n ʈrt ɖ īvnñ. Ẃn h bád gdnît t Parcinz, h mrmrd in a gruf unḍton:

‘Y nǒ ẃr I am f y wont m jrñ ɖ nît.’

‘Ẃ, yes, ʈanc y, Crnl Wilsn, I ʈnc I d; bt ɖr z’nt mć prospect v mî dstrbñ y, I hop. Bî ɖ we,’ h add, ‘dd I śo y ɖt old ẃisl I spouc v? I ʈnc nt. Wel, hir it z.’

Ɖ Crnl trnd it ovr jinjrli in ɖ lît v ɖ candl.

‘Cn y mc enʈñ v ɖ inscripśn?’ asct Parcinz, az h tc it bac.

‘No, nt in ɖs lît. Ẃt d y mīn t d wɖ it?’

‘Ǒ, wel, ẃn I gt bac t Cembrij I śl sbmit it t sm v ɖ arcioḷjists ɖr, n si ẃt ɖe ʈnc v it; n vri lîcli, f ɖe cnsidr it wrʈ hvñ, I me priznt it t wn v ɖ ḿziymz.’

‘’m!’ sd ɖ Crnl. ‘Wel, y me b rît. Ol I nǒ z ɖt, f it wr mîn, I śd ćuc it stret intu ɖ sì. It’s no ys tōcñ, I’m wel awer, bt I xpct ɖt wɖ y it’s a ces v liv n lrn. I hop so, I’m śr, n I wś y a gd nît.’

H trnd awe, līvñ Parcinz in act t spīc at ɖ botm v ɖ ster, n sn ć wz in hiz ǒn bedrūm.

Bî sm unforćṇt axidnt, ɖr wr nɖr blîndz nr crtnz t ɖ windoz v ɖ Pṛfesr’z rūm. Ɖ prīvịs nît h hd ʈt litl v ɖs, bt tnît ɖr sīmd evri prospect v a brît mūn rîzñ t śîn d’recli on hiz bed, n probbli wec him lêtr on. Ẃn h notist ɖs h wz a gd dīl anoid, bt, wɖ an inɉnywti ẃć I cn onli envi, h s’xidd in rigñ p, wɖ ɖ hlp v a relwe rug, sm seftipinz, n a stic n umbrela, a scrīn ẃć, f it onli hld tgɖr, wd cmplitli cīp ɖ mūnlît of hiz bed. N śortli aftwdz h wz cumftbli in ɖt bed. Ẃn h hd réd a smẃt solid wrc loñ inuf t pṛdys a dsîdd wś t slīp, h cast a drǎzi glans rnd ɖ rūm, blù ǎt ɖ candl, n fél bac upn ɖ pilo.

H mst hv slept sǎndli fr an aur or mor, ẃn a sudn clatr śc him p in a most unwelcm manr. In a momnt h riylîzd ẃt hd hapnd: hiz cerf̣li-cnstructd scrīn hd gvn we, n a vri brît frosti mūn wz śînñ d’recli on hiz fes. Ɖs wz hîli anoyñ. Cd h poṣbli gt p n rīcnstruct ɖ scrīn? or cd h manij t slīp f h dd nt?

Fr sm minits h le n pondrd ovr ol ɖ posbiḷtiz; ɖen h trnd ovr śarpli, n wɖ hiz îz opn le breʈlisli liṣnñ. Ɖr hd bn a muvmnt, h wz śr, in ɖ emti bed on ɖ oṗzit sîd v ɖ rūm. Tmoro h wd hv it muvd, fr ɖr mst b rats or smʈñ pleyñ abt in it. It wz qayt nǎ. No! ɖ cmośn bgan agn. Ɖr wz a ruṣlñ n śecñ: śrli mor ɖn eni rat cd cōz.

I cn figr t mslf smʈñ v ɖ Pṛfesr’z bwildrmnt n horr, fr I hv in a drīm ʈrti yirz bac sìn ɖ sem ʈñ hapn; bt ɖ rīdr wl hardli, phps, imajin hǎ dredfl it wz t him t si a figr sudnli sit p in ẃt h hd noun wz an emti bed. H wz ǎt v hiz ǒn bed in wn bǎnd, n md a daś twdz ɖ windo, ẃr le hiz onli wepn, ɖ stic wɖ ẃć h hd propt hiz scrīn. Ɖs wz, az it trnd ǎt, ɖ wrst ʈñ h cd hv dn, bcz ɖ prṣnij in ɖ emti bed, wɖ a sudn smuɖ mośn, slipt fṛm ɖ bed n tc p a pziśn, wɖ ǎtspred armz, btwn ɖ tū bedz, n in frunt v ɖ dor. Parcinz woćt it in a horid pplex̣ti. Smhǎ, ɖ îdīa v gtñ past it n iscepñ ʈru ɖ dor wz intolṛbl t him; h cd nt hv bòrn—h dd’nt nǒ ẃ—t tuć it; n az fr its tućñ him, h wd snr daś himslf ʈru ɖ windo ɖn hv ɖt hapn. It std fr ɖ momnt in a band v darc śado, n h hd nt sìn ẃt its fes wz lîc. Nǎ it bgan t muv, in a stūpñ posćr, n ol at wns ɖ spectetr riylîzd, wɖ sm horr n sm rlif, ɖt it mst b blînd, fr it sīmd t fīl abt it wɖ its mufld armz in a gropñ n randm faśn. Trnñ haf awe fṛm him, it bcem sudnli conśs v ɖ bed h hd jst left, n dartd twdz it, n bnt n flt ovr ɖ piloz in a we ẃć md Parcinz śudr az h hd nvr in hiz lîf ʈt it poṣbl. In a vri fy momnts it sīmd t nǒ ɖt ɖ bed wz emti, n ɖen, muvñ fwd intu ɖ eria v lît n fesñ ɖ windo, it śoud fr ɖ frst tîm ẃt manr v ʈñ it wz.

Parcinz, hu vri mć dslîcs biyñ qsćnd abt it, dd wns dscrîb smʈñ v it in mî hírñ, n I gaɖrd ɖt ẃt h ćīfli rmembrz abt it z a hoṛbl, an intnsli hoṛbl, fes v crumpld linn. Ẃt xpreśn h réd upn it h cd nt or wd nt tel, bt ɖt ɖ fir v it wnt nî t maḍnñ him z srtn.

Bt h wz nt at leźr t woć it fr loñ. Wɖ formiḍbl qcnis it muvd intu ɖ midl v ɖ rūm, n, az it gropt n wevd, wn cornr v its dreṗriz swept acrs Parcinz’z fes. H cd nt, ɖo h ń hǎ periḷs a sǎnd wz—h cd nt cīp bac a crî v dsgust, n ɖs gev ɖ srćr an instnt clu. It lept twdz him upn ɖ instnt, n ɖ nxt momnt h wz hafwe ʈru ɖ windo bcwdz, uṭrñ crî upn crî at ɖ utmost pić v hiz vôs, n ɖ linn fes wz ʈrust clos intu hiz ǒn. At ɖs, olmst ɖ last poṣbl secnd, dlivṛns cem, az y wl hv gest: ɖ Crnl brst ɖ dor opn, n wz jst in tîm t si ɖ dredfl grūp at ɖ windo. Ẃn h rīćt ɖ figrz onli wn wz left. Parcinz sanc fwd intu ɖ rūm in a fent, n bfr him on ɖ flor le a tumbld hīp v bedcloɖz.

Crnl Wilsn asct no qsćnz, bt bizid himslf in cīpñ evrwn els ǎt v ɖ rūm n in gtñ Parcinz bac t hiz bed; n himslf, rápt in a rug, okpaid ɖ uɖr bed, fr ɖ rest v ɖ nît. Rli on ɖ nxt de Rojrz arîvd, mor welcm ɖn h wd hv bn a de bfr, n ɖ ʈri v ɖm hld a vri loñ conslteśn in ɖ Pṛfesr’z rūm. At ɖ end v it ɖ Crnl left ɖ hoteldor cariyñ a smōl objict btwn hiz fngr n ʈum, ẃć h cast az far intu ɖ sì az a vri brōni arm cd snd it. Lêtr on ɖ smoc v a brnñ asndd fṛm ɖ bac preṃsz v ɖ Glob.

Xacli ẃt xpḷneśn wz paćt p fr ɖ staf n vizitrz at ɖ hotel I mst cnfes I d nt rec̣lect. Ɖ Pṛfesr wz smhǎ clird v ɖ redi sspiśn v delirium tremens, n ɖ hotel v ɖ repyteśn v a trubld hǎs.

Ɖr z nt mć qsćn az t ẃt wd hv hapnd t Parcinz f ɖ Crnl hd nt inṭvind ẃn h dd. H wd îɖr hv fōḷn ǎt v ɖ windo or els lost hiz wits. Bt it z nt so evidnt ẃt mor ɖ crīćr ɖt cem in ansr t ɖ ẃisl cd hv dn ɖn frîtn. Ɖr sīmd t b abṣlutli nʈñ mtirịl abt it sev ɖ bedcloɖz v ẃć it hd md itslf a bodi. Ɖ Crnl, hu rmembrd a nt vri dsimilr ocuṛns in India, wz v ɖ opińn ɖt f Parcinz hd clozd wɖ it it cd riyli hv dn vri litl, n ɖt its wn pǎr wz ɖt v frîṭnñ. Ɖ hol ʈñ, h sd, srvd t cnfrm hiz opińn v ɖ Ćrć v Rom.

Ɖr z riyli nʈñ mor t tel, bt, az y me imajin, ɖ Pṛfesr’z vyz on srtn pônts r les clir cut ɖn ɖe yst t b. Hiz nrvz, tù, hv sufrd: h canot īvn nǎ si a srplis haññ on a dor qt unmuvd, n ɖ specṭcl v a scercro in a fīld lêt on a wintr afṭnun hz cost him mor ɖn wn slīplis nît.

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