MrFairlieregrettedthatthestateofhishealth，onthatparticularmorning，wassuchastoprecludeallhopeofhishavingthepleasureofreceivingme。Hebegged，therefore，thatIwouldaccepthisapologies，andkindlycommunicatewhatIhadtosayintheformofaletter。Similarmessagestothishadreachedme，atvariousintervals，duringmythreemonths’residenceinthehouse。ThroughoutthewholeofthatperiodMrFairliehadbeenrejoicedto`possess’me，buthadneverbeenwellenoughtoseemeforasecondtime。TheservanttookeveryfreshbatchofdrawingsthatImountedandrestoredbacktohismasterwithmy`respects，’andreturnedempty-handedwithMrFairlie’s`kindcompliments，’`bestthanks，’and`sincereregrets’
thatthestateofhishealthstillobligedhimtoremainasolitaryprisonerinhisownroom。Amoresatisfactoryarrangementtobothsidescouldnotpossiblyhavebeenadopted。Itwouldbehardtosaywhichofus，underthecircumstances，feltthemostgratefulsenseofobligationtoMrFairlie’saccommodatingnerves。
Isatdownatoncetowritetheletter，expressingmyselfinitascivilly，asclearly，andasbrieflyaspossible。MrFairliedidnothurryhisreply。
Nearlyanhourelapsedbeforetheanswerwasplacedinmyhands。Itwaswrittenwithbeautifulregularityandneatnessofcharacter，inviolet-colouredink，onnote-paperassmoothasivoryandalmostasthickascardboard，anditaddressedmeintheseterms——
`MrFairlie’scomplimentstoMrHartright。MrFairlieismoresurprisedanddisappointedthanhecansayinthepresentstateofhishealthbyMrHartright’sapplication。MrFairlieisnotamanofbusiness，buthehasconsultedhissteward，whois，andthatpersonconfirmsMrFairlie’sopinionthatMrHartright’srequesttobeallowedtobreakhisengagementcannotbejustifiedbyanynecessitywhatever，exceptingperhapsacaseoflifeanddeath。Ifthehighly-appreciativefeelingtowardsArtanditsprofessors，whichitistheconsolationandhappinessofMrFairlie’ssufferingexistencetocultivate，couldbeeasilyshaken，MrHartright’spresentproceedingwouldhaveshakenit。Ithasnotdoneso——exceptintheinstanceofMrHartrighthimself。