ARTHUR
82

He recognized me with more difficulty than attending to my confession about him. However, the circumstances of our first meeting were easily remembered in his memory. I eagerly inquired when and where he parted with the young man who, on that occasion, was entrusted with his care.

He replied that, while leaving the city and breathing the purer air of fields and forests, Wallace had, to an incredible degree, been refreshed and refreshed. An instantaneous and total change seemed to have occurred within him. He no longer languished from exhaustion or fear, but became filled with joy and talk.

Suddenly this transition; the levity he recounts and the commentary on his recent dangers and crimes, arouses the astonishment of his comrades, to whom he not only communicates the history of his illness, but also the, but it also gives a lot of anecdotes of a funny kind. Some of them were repeated by my colleagues. I hear them with regret and dissatisfaction. They show thoughts marred by sexual intercourse with both sexes being reckless and depraved, and especially with famous and extravagant women.

My colleague went on to mention that Wallace's excitement lasted but for a short time, and disappeared suddenly as it appeared. He contracted a deadly disease, and insisted on leaving the carriage, whose movements shocked his stomach and head to an unsustainable degree. His companion was not without fear because of himself, but was unwilling to abandon him, and sought to encourage him. Effortless. Although the nearest house was at a distance of several hundred meters, and although it was likely that the occupants of this house would refuse to accommodate one in its condition, Wallace could not be persuaded to continue; and, in spite of the inducements and protests, he left the carriage and threw himself to the grassy edge beside the road.

This person was not careless of the danger posed by contact with the sick. He considers himself to have done all that is consistent with obligations to himself and his family; and Wallace, insisting in asserting that, by trying to rise further, he should have only hastened his death, he said, finally, it was left to his own guidance.

This is unexpected and sad news. I am happy to imagine that his safety is beyond the reach of any unwanted accident. Now, however, there is reason to assume he has perished by a prolonged and painful illness, which is fatal by the selfishness of mankind, by the lack of appropriate treatment, and exposure to bad air. Some uncertainty, however, rests on his fate. It's my job to erase it, and bring to Hadwin no broken and flawed story. Where, I asked, where did Wallace and his partner go their separate ways?

That's about three miles further ahead. The place, and the house visible from that place, are accurately described. In this house it is possible that Wallace sought asylum, and some intelligence that honors him may have been acquired from its inhabitants. My informant was on his way to town, so we were forced to separate.

As a result of this man's description of Wallace's behavior, and the evidence of the vices and unwiseness he had given, I began to regard his death as a less sad event. Such a person is unworthy of being so pure, so zealous in loyalty and gentleness, as Susan Hadwin . If she loves, most likely, contrary to her vows, she will seek a different companion. If he holds on to his first engagement, his motives will be dirty, and the revelation of his hidden flaw may result in more wonderful misery for his wife than premature death or dangerous desertion.

The preservation of this man was my only motive for entering the infected city, and subjecting my own life to the danger from which my escape might be almost considered miraculous. Is not purpose not proportional to means? Is there arrogance in trusting my life at a price too expensive to give him?

I'm not, indeed, sorry for the past. My goals are fair, and the way I choose is the best given by my limited knowledge. My happiness must be taken from contemplating the equality of my intentions. That this intention is thwarted by the ignorance of others, or myself, is a consequence of human weakness. Honest goals, though they may not give happiness to others, will at least guarantee it to the person who nurtures them.

My curiosity was completely satisfied. Wallace, who was easily recognizable by my description, appeared at the door of his house at night as he left the city. The fear of fever is lowered by excessive and harsh eloquence. I guess his eloquence on this theme was designed to apologize to me because he refused entry to sick people. However, the peroration is different. Wallace was received, and appropriate attention was paid to his wishes.

Fortunately, the guest had nothing to fight for other than extreme weakness. Rest, nutritious food, and healthy air restore his health in a short time. He lingered under this roof for three weeks, and then, without a thank-you note, or an offer of monetary reward, or information about the course he decided to take, he left them.

These facts, coupled with what I have known before, do not give a favorable picture of Wallace's character. It was clear to conclude that he had gone to Malverton, and there was nothing preventing me from following him.

Perhaps one of my most severe shortcomings is irritability. I chose my path suddenly, and chased after it with a hasty expedition. In the current example, my resolution is structured with an unshakable spirit, and I walk faster so I can run faster. Miss Hadwin deserves to be happy. Love is in his heart a sentiment that absorbs everything. A disappointment is the highest disaster. Depravity and foolishness must disguise themselves as virtues before they can demand their affection. This disguise may be maintained for a while, but the detection must definitely come, and the sooner this detection occurs, the more useful it must be to prove.

I decided to break away, with the same and infinite faith, to Wallace and his mistress. I will choose for this purpose, not when they are apart, but when they are together. My knowledge, and my source of knowledge, relative to Wallace, must be revealed to the woman with simplicity and truth. Lover must be present, to refute, to alleviate, or to verify the allegations.

For the rest of the day, these images occupy a major place in my mind. The road was muddy and dark, and my journey turned out to be more boring and tiring than I expected. Finally, just as the night closed, the famous residence appeared in plain sight. Since my departure, winter has visited the world, and the natural aspects have become quiet and gloomy. All around this house is empty, inattentive, sad. The contrast between this apparition and what I noticed in my first approach, when the ground and the trees were decorated with summer luxury and agility, was distressing, and seemed to signal sickness. My spirit drooped when I saw inactivity and silence in general.

I entered, without warning, the door leading to the living room. No visible faces or voices were heard. The chimney is decorated, as in summer, with evergreen shrubs. Although it is now the second month of ice and snow, the fire does not seem to be lit these days in this fireplace.

This is a situation where nothing good can be concluded. If there were people who shared the comfort that had been shared in previous years, this was the place and hour where they usually gathered. A door on one side leads, through a narrow entrance, into the kitchen. I opened the door and walked into the kitchen.

There was no one there except an old man, crouching in the corner of the chimney. His face, though wrinkled, showed unshakable health and an unwavering spirit. Her own woven coat, age-wrinkled leather pants, and blue thread hose, were perfect for her thin, wrinkled body. On his right knee was a wooden bowl, which he had just filled from a lump of hasty pudding that was still smoky on the coals; and in his left hand a spoon, which he had just filled, which at that moment he put into a bottle of molasses that stood beside him.