Itisalsoimpossibletosaywhomhehadinhismindwhenheseizedthepen：Stein——myself——theworldatlarge——orwasthisonlytheaimlessstartledcryofasolitarymanconfrontedbyhisfate？“Anawfulthinghashappened，“

　　hewrotebeforeheflungthependownforthefirsttime；lookattheinkblotresemblingtheheadofanarrowunderthesewords。Afterawhilehehadtriedagain，scrawlingheavily，asifwithahandoflead，anotherline。“Imustnowatonce……“Thepenhadspluttered，andthattimehegaveitup。There’snothingmore；hehadseenabroadgulfthatneithereyenorvoicecouldspan。Icanunderstandthis。Hewasoverwhelmedbytheinexplicable；hewasoverwhelmedbyhisownpersonality——thegiftofthatdestinywhichhehaddonehisbesttomaster。

　　`Isendyoualsoanoldletter——averyoldletter。Itwasfoundcarefullypreservedinhiswriting-case。Itisfromhisfather，andbythedateyoucanseehemusthavereceiveditafewdaysbeforehejoinedthePatna。

　　Thusitmustbethelastletterheeverhadfromhome。Hehadtreasureditalltheseyears。Thegoodoldparsonfanciedhissailor-son。I’velookedinatasentencehereandthere。Thereisnothinginitexceptjustaffection。

　　Hetellshis“dearJames“thatthelastlongletterfromhimwasvery“honestandentertaining。“Hewouldnothavehim“judgemenharshlyorhastily。“

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