ARTHUR
35

For this perfection, it is very important to guide you with slow steps and detours. Meanwhile, a deep silence, with respect to your original history, must be heeded; and for this patience ance your consent is obtained with readiness more than I expected.

"There is an additional motive for the treatment you received from me. My projects and personal concern up until now prevented me from reading Lodi's script; a little examination, however, was enough to prove that the work was profound and eloquent. My ambition has been panting., with the same spirit, after the reputation of literature and luxury. To claim the authorship of this work is too dangerous and futile tactics not to be immediately suggested. I intend to translate it into English, and to magnify it with my enterprising incidents of self-discovery. My hesitation to assume the benefits of the original composer can thus be removed. For this purpose, your assistance as an amanuensis will be required.

"You will see that all these projects depend on the arrival of seasonal intelligence from. A delay of one more week will seal my destruction. Silence may arise from the sinking of the ship and the destruction of everything inside. In this case , the insurance is not forfeited, but the payment cannot be obtained within one year. Meanwhile, premiums and other debts must be repaid immediately, and this is beyond my control. Meanwhile, I had to live in a way that would not deny me pretension; but my coffers were empty.

"I cannot describe the anxiety that has haunted me. Every hour has added to the burden of my existence, until, as a result of today's events, it becomes completely unsupportable. A few hours ago, I was called by Thetford to his house. The envoy informed me that word had been received about my ship. In response to my ardent interrogation, he was unable to provide any other information other than that he had been arrested by the British. He cannot tell specifically.

"News of his safe return, indeed, will be far more acceptable; but even this information is an infinite source of congratulations. That hindered my insurance company's demand. The payment of another debt may be delayed for a month, and my situation became the same as before the implementation of this unsuccessful scheme Hope and excitement returned in my chest, and I rushed to the counting house of Thetford.

"This did not diminish my satisfaction, and I continued to read passionately the papers he put in my hands. I didn't go far, when my joyous hopes were lost. Two French mulattoes, after many requests, and most promised not to carry goods that by war law would be smuggled, gained entry to the ship. He was quickly discovered by a soldier, with whom every container was searched. Inside the coffin, which belonged to the French, and which they had confirmed contained nothing but their clothes, were found two swords, and other supplies from a cavalry officer. For this reason, the ship was captured and punished, and this was the cause of the forfeiture that had not been stipulated in the insurance contract.

"With this unwanted incident, my hopes were shattered beyond repair. Maximum effort was required to hide my thoughts from my colleagues. The suffering that preys on my heart seeks to be covered by the appearance of indifference. I pretended to have been informed in advance by the emissary not only of the arrest, but of the cause that caused it, and of the forbore to atone for my loss, or to execute the author of my disappointment. My mind, however, is a theater of strife and suffering, and I wait with impatience for the opportunity to leave it.

"Because I wanted another topic, I asked by whom this information was brought. He replied, that the bearer was Captain Amos Watson, whose ship had been seized, at the same time, under a different pretext. He added that, my name which was mentioned accidentally to Watson, the latter had betrayed a sign of great surprise, and was very earnest in his investigation with respect to my situation. After gaining knowledge of what Thetford could communicate, the captain had left, admitted a former acquaintance with me, and expressed his intention to visit me.