saved from imminent death, certain it was I felt some assuagement of grief, and took pleasure in his talk.
"And though I may by some be reprehended," he said, "for presuming to refer to profane authors after citing Holy Scripture, yet I cannot refrain from saying that even the great poet Homer counsels moderation in mourning, 'for quickly,' says he, 'cometh satiety of chilly grief.'"
After this I thought he was going, but he cleared his throat in such a way that I guessed he had something important to say, and he drew a long folded blue paper from his pocket. "My son," he said, opening it leisurely and smoothing it out upon his knee, "we should never revile Fortune, and in speaking of Fortune I only use that appellation in our poor human sense, and do not imply that there is any Chance at all but what is subject to an overruling Providence; we should never, I say, revile Fortune, for just at that moment when she appears to have deserted us, she may be only gone away to seek some richest treasure to bring back with her. And that this is so let what I am about to read to you prove; so light a candle and set it by me, for my eyes cannot follow the writing in this dancing firelight."
I took an end of candle which stood on the mantelpiece and did as he bid me, and he went on: "I shall read you this letter which I received near eight years ago, and of the weightiness of it you shall yourself judge."
I shall not here set down that letter in full, although I have it by me, but will put it shortly, because it was from a lawyer, tricked with long-winded phrases and spun out as such letters are to afford cover afterwards for a heavier charge. It was addressed to the Reverend
