ARTHUR
80

I had just reached my own door, when I was overtaken by a servant, who I knew came from the family where Carlton and his sister lived. The message, therefore, is easy to guess. He came, as I expected, to ask my friend, who had left his house in the morning with a stranger, and had not returned. His absence has caused unrest, and his sister has sent me this message, to get information on the cause of his detention that I can provide.

My confusion prevented me, for some time, from answering. I am willing to communicate the painful truth with my own mouth. I saw the need to put an end to his tension, and prevent the news from reaching him with a false aggravation or at an inopportune time.

I told the envoy that I had just parted with Mr. Carlton, that he was fine, and that I would come soon and tell his sister the cause of his absence.

Despite the burning curiosity towards Mervyn and Welbeck, I was prepared to postpone his satisfaction until my visit to Miss Carlton was made. I rarely see this woman; my friendship with her brother, though excited, has been shaped lately, and is especially matured by interviews at my home. I had planned to introduce him to my wife, but various accidents had hindered the implementation of my goals. Now consolation and counsel are more needed than ever, and the delay or unwillingness to give them, to a high degree, cannot be forgiven.

Therefore I parted with Mervyn, asked her to wait for my return, and promised to make an engagement that forced me to leave her, with great care. Upon entering Miss Carlton's apartment, I inhaled the air as comfortably as I could. I found the woman sitting at the table, with pen in hand and parchment in front of her. He greeted me affectionately, and from my face it was seen that the cheerfulness at my entrance he was poor.

"You came," he said, "to tell me what made my brother ditch today. Until your message is received, I am a bit anxious. Today he usually spends time wandering the fields; but it is so bleak and stormy. The atmosphere, I suppose, will prevent his journey. I pray, sir, what's holding him back?"

In order to overcome my embarrassment, and introduce the subject in an indirect and careful way, I avoided his question, and, staring at the parchment, "How now?" I said; "This is a strange job for a woman. I knew that my friend pursued this trade, and lived by fast tying up the offers that others made; but I had no idea that the pen had ever been snatched away by his sister."

"The seizure was driven by necessity. My impatient sister and her delicate skeleton were no match for him. He pursued it with no less reluctance than perseverance, devoting himself to the task three nights a week, and all day. It would have long killed him, had I not thought of dividing his duties the Pen was obnoxious and tiring at first, but its use had made it easy, and far more qualified than the needle, he said, the one that was my only tool.

"This arrangement gave my brother the opportunity to exercise and recreation, without diminishing our advantage; and my time, though no less constant, more enjoyable, as well as more profitable, was used than ever before."

"I admire your reasons. In this way, provisions are made to prevent unwanted accidents. If the disease paralyzes it, you are qualified to pursue the same means of support."

Hearing these words, the woman's face changed. He placed his hand on my arm, and said, with a quivering and hasty accent, "Is my brother sick?"

I had just ended that sentence, when the sharp eyes of the woman anxiously fell on my eyes. After a short pause, he exclaimed, "The conclusion, indeed, is too simple. I know his fate. It had long been foreseen and expected, and I had gathered my inner balance to find it. Will he go to Heaven to find disaster? as light as I have to find him! but I'm afraid his spirit is too irritable."

When his fear was evident, he began not to exclaim. He quickly held back some unbearable tears, and listened to my narrative of what happened lately, with a thank you sign.

Formal comfort is overrated. His mind was indeed more fertile than my own in those topics that deprived him of his deepest end of suffering. He observed that it was far from the heaviest disaster possible. Creditors may be defeated by arguments and appeals. If this is successful, disasters will not only be eliminated, but security from future persecution will be obtained, which has long been a stranger to them.

If he was stubborn, their circumstances were far from desperate. Carlton's situation allowed him to pursue his profession. The profits will be the same, and the expenditure will not increase. With the industry with them, they might expect to raise enough money to pay off debt in the not-too-distant future.

What she feared the most was the bad influence of grief and sedentary work on her brother's health. However, this is not considered an inevitable thing. Fortitude may be inspired by counsel and example, and there are no conditions that prevent us from any kind of exertion of the body. The more he does not want to prove to develop the means of liberation and happiness within his reach, the more it is necessary for him to stimulate and fortify his resolve.

If I am captivated by this woman's personal charm and upbringing, my respect is awakened by this evidence of wisdom and energy. I eagerly promised to agree with him in every scheme he had to take for his own benefit or that of his brother; and, after spending a few hours with him, I left.

I now regret the ignorance in which I have hitherto remained respectful of this woman. That she is, to some degree, feminine and beautiful, is easy to find; but intellectual weakness has been hastily inferred from external weakness. He was accustomed to shrink himself from observation, and the reserves were misconstrued as timid. I called Carlton only when many engagements were possible, and when, by accident, his customary visit had been terminated. On that occasion, my stay was short, and my attention was mainly limited to his brother. Now I decided to make amends for my old negligence, not only by my own diligence, but also by my wife.

Upon my return home, I found Mervyn and my wife in earnest discussions. I anticipate the shock that will be received by the last sensitivity of the news I have to communicate about Carlton. I did not want to, but felt the need to reveal the truth. I wanted to bring these women, as soon as possible, to know each other, but the necessary prelude to this was an introduction to the disaster that had occurred.

Just as I entered the room, Mervyn turned to me, and said, in an anxious and impatient tone, "Pray, my friend, do you know about Francis Carlton?"