m to leave it, and to let me read it again (as I
wished) when I was left by myself. He is determined to keep it side
by side with that other paper which I had seen him take out of his
pocket-book, and which contains the written narrative of Armadale's
Dream. All I could do was to ask his leave to copy it; and this he
granted readily. I wrote the copy in his presence; and I now place it
here in my diary, to mark a day which is one of the memorable days in my
life.

"Boscombe Rectory, August 2d.

"MY DEAR MIDWINTER--For the first time since the beginning of my
illness, I found strength enough yesterday to look over my letters. One
among them is a letter from Allan, which has been lying unopened on my
table for ten days past. He writes to me in great distress, to say that
there has been dissension between you, and that you have left him. If
you still remember what passed between us, when you first opened your
heart to me in the Isle of Man, you will be at no loss to understand how
I have thought over this miserable news, through the night that has now
passed, and you will not be surprised to hear that I have roused myself
this morning to make the effort of writing to you.

"I want no explanation of the circumstances which have parted you from
your friend. If my estimate of your character is not founded on
an entire delusion, the one influence which can have led to your
estrangement from Allan is the influence of that evil spirit of
Superstition which I have once already cast out of your heart--which I
will once again conquer, please God, if I have strength enough to make
my pen speak my mind to you in this letter.

"It is no part of my design to combat the belief which I know you
to hold, that mortal creatures may be the objects of supernatural
intervention in their pilgrimage through this world. Speaking as a
reasonable man, I own that I cannot prove you to be wrong. Speaking as
a believer in the Bible, I am bound to go further, and to admit that you
possess a higher than any human warrant for the faith that is in you.
The one object which I have it at heart to attain is to induce you
to free yourself from the paralyzing fatalism of the heathen and the
savage, and to look at the mysteries that perplex, and the portents that
daunt you, from the Christian's point of view. If I can succeed in this,
I shall clear your mind of the ghastly doubts that now oppress it, and I
shall reunite you to your friend, never to be parte