THISisthestoryofwhataWoman’spatiencecanendure，andwhataMan’sresolutioncanachieve。
IfthemachineryoftheLawcouldbedependedontofathomeverycaseofsuspicion，andtoconducteveryprocessofinquiry，withmoderateassistanceonlyfromthelubricatinginfluencesofoilofgold，theeventswhichfillthesepagesmighthaveclaimedtheirshareofthepublicattentioninaCourtofJustice。
ButtheLawisstill，incertaininevitablecases，thepre-engagedservantofthelongpurse；andthestoryislefttobetold，forthefirsttime，inthisplace。AstheJudgemightoncehaveheardit，sotheReadershallhearitnow。Nocircumstanceofimportance，fromthebeginningtotheendofthedisclosure，shallberelatedonhearsayevidence。WhenthewriteroftheseintroductorylinesWalterHartrightbynamehappenstobemorecloselyconnectedthanotherswiththeincidentstoberecorded，hewillbethenarrator。Whennot，hewillretirefromthepositionofnarrator；
andhistaskwillbecontinued，fromthepointatwhichhehasleftitoff，byotherpersonswhocanspeaktothecircumstancesundernoticefromtheirownknowledge，justasclearlyandpositivelyashehasspokenbeforethem。
Thus，thestoryherepresentedwillbetoldbymorethanonepen，asthestoryofanoffenceagainstthelawsistoldinCourtbymorethanonewitness——withthesameobjectinbothcases，topresentthetruthalwaysinitsmostdirectandmostintelligibleaspect；andtotracethecourseofonecompleteseriesofevents，bymakingthepersonswhohavebeenmostcloselyconnectedwiththem，ateachsuccessivestage，relatetheirownexperience，wordforword。
LetWalterHartright，teacherofdrawing，agedtwenty-eightyears，beheardfirst。THESTORYBEGUNBYWALTERHARTRIGHTofClement’sinn，TeacherofDrawingIItwasthelastdayofJuly。Thelonghotsummerwasdrawingtoaclose；
andwe，thewearypilgrimsoftheLondonpavement，werebeginningtothinkofthecloud-shadowsonthecorn-fields，andtheautumnbreezesonthesea-shore。
Formyownpoorpart，thefadingsummerleftmeoutofhealth，outofspirits，and，ifthetruthmustbetold，outofmoneyaswell。DuringthepastyearIhadnotmanagedmyprofessionalresourcesascarefullyasusual；
andmyextravagancenowlimitedmetotheprospectofspendingtheautumneconomicallybetweenmymother’scottageatHampsteadandmyownchambersintown。
Theevening，Iremember，wasstillandcloudy；theLondonairwasatitsheaviest；thedistanthumofthestreet-trafficwasatitsfaintest；
thesmallpulseofthelifewithinme，andthegreatheartofthecityaroundme，seemedtobesinkinginunison，languidlyandmorelanguidly，withthesinkingsun。IrousedmyselffromthebookwhichIwasdreamingoverratherthanreading，andleftmychamberstomeetthecoolnightairinthesuburbs。ItwasoneofthetwoeveningsineveryweekWhichIwasaccustomedtospendwithmymotherandmysister。SoIturnedmystepsnorthwardinthedirectionofHampstead。
EventswhichIhaveyettorelatemakeitnecessarytomentioninthisplacethatmyfatherhadbeendeadsomeyearsattheperiodofwhichI
amnowwriting；andthatmysisterSarahandIwerethesolesurvivorsofafamilyoffivechildren。Myfatherwasadrawing-masterbeforeme。
Hisexertionshadmadehimhighlysuccessfulinhisprofession；andhisaffectionateanxietytoprovideforthefutureofthosewhoweredependentonhislabourshadimpelledhim，fromthetimeofhismarriage，todevotetotheinsuringofhislifeamuchlargerportionofhisincomethanmostmenconsideritnecessarytosetasideforthatpurpose。Thankstohisadmirableprudenceandself-denialmymotherandsisterwereleft，afterhisdeath，asindependentoftheworldastheyhadbeenduringhislifetime。
Isucceededtohisconnection，andhadeveryreasontofeelgratefulfortheprospectthatawaitedmeatmystartinginlife。
Thequiettwilightwasstilltremblingonthetopmostridgesoftheheath；andtheviewofLondonbelowmehadsunkintoablackgulfintheshadowofthecloudynight，whenIstoodbeforethegateofmymother’scottage。Ihadhardlyrungthebellbeforethehousedoorwasopenedviolently；
myworthyItalianfriend，ProfessorPesca，appearedintheservant’splace；
anddartedoutjoyouslytoreceiveme，withashrillforeignparodyonanEnglishcheer。
Onhisownaccount，and，Imustbeallowedtoadd，onminealso，theProfessormeritsthehonourofaformalintroduction。Accidenthasmadehimthestarting-pointofthestrangefamilystorywhichitisthepurposeofthesepagestounfold。
IhadfirstbecomeacquaintedwithmyItalianfriendbymeetinghimatcertaingreathouseswherehetaughthisownlanguageandItaughtdrawing。
AllIthenknewofthehistoryofhislifewas，thathehadonceheldasituationintheUniversityofPadua；thathehadleftItalyforpoliticalreasonsthenatureofwhichheuniformlydeclinedtomentiontoanyone；
andthathehadbeenformanyyearsrespectablyestablishedinLondonasateacheroflanguages。
Withoutbeingactuallyadwarf——forhewasperfectlywellproportionedfromheadtofoot——Pescawas，Ithink，thesmallesthumanbeingIeversawoutofashow-room。Remarkableanywhere，byhispersonalappearance，hewasstillfurtherdistinguishedamongtherankandfileofmankindbytheharmlesseccentricityofhischaracter。Therulingideaofhislifeappearedtobe，thathewasboundtoshowhisgratitudetothecountrywhichhadaffordedhimanasylumandameansofsubsistencebydoinghisutmosttoturnhimselfintoanEnglishman。Notcontentwithpayingthenationingeneralthecomplimentofinvariablycarryinganumbrella，andinvariablywearinggaitersandawhitehat，theProfessorfurtheraspiredtobecomeanEnglishmaninhishabitsandamusements，aswellasinhispersonalappearance。Findingusdistinguished，asanation，byourloveofathleticexercises，thelittleman，intheinnocenceofhisheart，devotedhimselfimpromptutoallourEnglishsportsandpastimeswheneverhehadtheopportunityofjoiningthem；firmlypersuadedthathecouldadoptournationalamusementsofthefieldbyaneffortofwillpreciselyashehadadoptedournationalgaitersandournationalwhitehat。
Ihadseenhimriskhislimbsblindlyatafox-huntandinacricket-field；
andsoonafterwardsIsawhimriskhislife，justasblindly，intheseaatBrighton。
Wehadmetthereaccidentally，andwerebathingtogether。Ifwehadbeenengagedinanyexercisepeculiartomyownnationlshould，ofcourse，havelookedafterPescacarefully；butasforeignersaregenerallyquiteaswellabletotakecareofthemselvesinthewaterasEnglishmen，itneveroccurredtomethattheartofswimmingmightmerelyaddonemoretothelistofmanlyexerciseswhichtheprofessorbelievedthathecouldlearnimpromptu。Soonafterwehadbothstruckoutfromshore，Istopped，findingmyfrienddidnotgainonme，andturnedroundtolookforhim。
Tomyhorrorandamazement，Isawnothingbetweenmeandthebeachbuttwolittlewhitearmswhichstruggledforaninstantabovethesurfaceofthewater，andthendisappearedfromview。WhenIdivedforhim，thepoorlittlemanwaslyingquietlycoiledupatthebottom，inahollowofshingle，lookingbymanydegreessmallerthanIhadeverseenhimlookbefore。DuringthefewminutesthatelapsedwhileIwastakinghimin，theairrevivedhim，andheascendedthestepsofthemachinewithmyassistance。
Withthepartialrecoveryofhisanimationcamethereturnofhiswonderfuldelusiononthesubjectofswimming。Assoonashischatteringteethwouldlethimspeak，hesmiledvacantly，andsaidhethoughtitmusthavebeentheCramp。
Whenhehadthoroughlyrecoveredhimself，andhadjoinedmeonthebeach，hiswarmSouthernnaturebrokethroughallartificialEnglishrestraintsinamoment。Heoverwhelmedmewiththewildestexpressionsofaffection——exclaimedpassionately，inhisexaggeratedItalianway，thathewouldholdhislifehenceforthatmydisposal——anddeclaredthatheshouldneverbehappyagainuntilhehadfoundanopportunityofprovinghisgratitudebyrenderingmesomeservicewhichImightremember，onmyside，totheendofmydays。
Ididmybesttostopthetorrentofhistearsandprotestationsbypersistingintreatingthewholeadventureasagoodsubjectforajoke；
andsucceededatlast，asIimagined，inlesseningPesca’soverwhelmingsenseofobligationtome。LittledidIthinkthen——littledidIthinkafterwardswhenourpleasantholidayhaddrawntoanend——thattheopportunityofservingmeforwhichmygratefulcompanionsoardentlylongedwassoontocome；thathewaseagerlytoseizeitontheinstant；andthatbysodoinghewastoturnthewholecurrentofmyexistenceintoanewchannel，andtoaltermetomyselfalmostpastrecognition。
Yetsoitwas。IfIhadnotdivedforProfessorPescawhenhelayunderwateronhisshinglebed，Ishouldinallhumanprobabilityneverhavebeenconnectedwiththestorywhichthesepageswillrelate——Ishouldnever，perhaps，haveheardeventhenameofthewomanwhohaslivedinallmythoughts，whohaspossessedherselfofallmyenergies，whohasbecometheoneguidinginfluencethatnowdirectsthepurposeofmylife。IIPesca’sfaceandmanner，ontheeveningwhenweconfrontedeachotheratmymother’sgate，weremorethansufficienttoinformmethatsomethingextraordinaryhadhappened。Itwasquiteuseless，however，toaskhimforanimmediateexplanation。Icouldonlyconjecture，whilehewasdraggingmeinbybothhands，thatknowingmyhabitshehadcometothecottagetomakesureofmeetingmethatnight，andthathehadsomenewstotellofanunusuallyagreeablekind。
Webothbouncedintotheparlourinahighlyabruptandundignifiedmanner。Mymothersatbytheopenwindowlaughingandfanningherself。
Pescawasoneofherespecialfavourites，andhiswildesteccentricitieswerealwayspardonableinhereyes。Poordearsoul！fromthefirstmomentwhenshefoundoutthatthelittleProfessorwasdeeplyandgratefullyattachedtoherson，sheopenedherhearttohimunreservedly，andtookallhispuzzlingforeignpeculiaritiesforgranted，withoutsomuchasattemptingtounderstandanyoneofthem。
MysisterSarah，withalltheadvantagesofyouth，was，strangelyenough，lesspliable。ShedidfulljusticetoPesca’sexcellentqualitiesofheart；
butshecouldnotaccepthimimplicitly，asmymotheracceptedhimformysake。HerinsularnotionsofproprietyroseinperpetualrevoltagainstPesca’sconstitutionalcontemptforappearances；andshewasalwaysmoreorlessundisguisedlyastonishedathermother’sfamiliaritywiththeeccentriclittleforeigner。Ihaveobserved，notonlyinmysister’scase，butintheinstancesofothers，thatweoftheyounggenerationarenothinglikesoheartyandsoimpulsiveassomeofourelders。lconstantlyseeoldpeopleflushedandexcitedbytheprospectofsomeanticipatedpleasurewhichaltogetherfailstorufflethetranquillityoftheirserenegrandchildren。
Arewe，Iwonder，quitesuchgenuineboysandgirlsnowasourseniorswereintheirtime？Hasthegreatadvanceineducationtakenrathertoolongastride；andarewe，inthesemoderndays，justtheleasttrifleintheworldtoowellbroughtup？
Withoutattemptingtoanswerthosequestionsdecisively，ImayatleastrecordthatIneversawmymotherandmysistertogetherinPesca’ssociety，withoutfindingmymothermuchtheyoungerwomanofthetwo。Onthisoccasion，forexample，whiletheoldladywaslaughingheartilyovertheboyishmannerinwhichwetumbledintotheparlour，Sarahwasperturbedlypickingupthebrokenpiecesofateacup，whichtheProfessorhadknockedoffthetableinhisprecipitateadvancetomeetmeatthedoor。