loveyouradorabledaughter，deeply，devotedly。’InlessbuoyantstatesofmindIhadbegun，’Bearwithme，DearMadam，bearwithadaringwretchwhoisabouttomakeasurprisingconfessiontoyou，whollyunanticipatedbyyourself，andwhichhebeseechesyoutocommittotheflamesassoonasyouhavebecomeawaretowhatatoweringheighthismadambitionsoars。’Atothertimes-periodsofprofoundmentaldepression，whenShehadgoneouttoballswhereIwasnot-thedrafttooktheaffectingformofapapertobeleftonmytableaftermydeparturetotheconfinesoftheglobe。Asthus:’ForMrs。Onowenever，theselineswhenthehandthattracesthemshallbefaraway。IcouldnotbearthedailytortureofhopelesslylovingthedearonewhomIwillnotname。BroilingonthecoastofAfrica，orcongealingontheshoresofGreenland，Iamfarfarbettertherethanhere。’Inthissentimentmycoolerjudgmentperceivesthatthefamilyofthebelovedobjectwouldhavemostcompletelyconcurred。’IfIeveremergefromobscurity，andmynameiseverheraldedbyFame，itwillbeforherdearsake。IfIeveramassGold，itwillbetopouritatherfeet。ShouldIontheotherhandbecomethepreyofRavens-’IdoubtifIeverquitemadeupmymindwhatwastobedoneinthataffectingcase；I
tried’thenitisbetterso；’butnotfeelingconvincedthatitwouldbebetterso，Ivacillatedbetweenleavingallelseblank，whichlookedexpressiveandbleak，orwindingupwith’Farewell！’
Thisfictitiouscorrespondenceofmineistoblamefortheforegoingdigression。Iwasabouttopursuethestatementthatonmytwenty-firstbirthdayIgaveaparty，andShewasthere。Itwasabeautifulparty。TherewasnotasingleanimateorinanimateobjectconnectedwithitexceptthecompanyandmyselfthatIhadeverseenbefore。Everythingwashired，andthemercenariesinattendancewereprofoundstrangerstome。Behindadoor，inthecrumbypartofthenightwhenwine-glassesweretobefoundinunexpectedspots，IspoketoHer-spokeouttoHer。Whatpassed，Icannotasamanofhonourreveal。Shewasallangelicalgentleness，butawordwasmentioned-ashortanddreadfulwordofthreeletters，beginningwithaB-which，asIremarkedatthemoment，’scorchedmybrain。’Shewentawaysoonafterwards，andwhenthehollowthrongthoughtobesureitwasnofaultoftheirsdispersed，Iissuedforth，withadissipatedscorner，and，asImentionedexpresslytohim，’soughtoblivion。’Itwasfound，withadreadfulheadacheinit，butitdidn’tlast；for，intheshaminglightofnextday’snoon，Iraisedmyheavyheadinbed，lookingbacktothebirthdaysbehindme，andtrackingthecirclebywhichIhadgotround，afterall，tothebitterpowderandthewretchednessagain。
ThisreactionarypowdertakensolargelybythehumanraceIaminclinedtoregarditastheUniversalMedicineoncesoughtforinLaboratoriesiscapableofbeingmadeupinanotherformforbirthdayuse。Anybody’slong-lostbrotherwilldoilltoturnuponabirthday。IfIhadalong-lostbrotherIshouldknowbeforehandthathewouldproveatremendousfraternalfailureifheappointedtorushintomyarmsonmybirthday。ThefirstMagicLanternIeversaw，wassecretlyandelaboratelyplannedtobethegreateffectofaveryjuvenilebirthday；butitwouldn’tact，anditsimagesweredim。MyexperienceofadultbirthdayMagicLanternsmaypossiblyhavebeenunfortunate，buthascertainlybeensimilar。Ihaveanillustrativebirthdayinmyeye:abirthdayofmyfriendFlipfield，whosebirthdayshadlongbeenremarkableassocialsuccesses。Therehadbeennothingsetorformalaboutthem；
Flipfieldhavingbeenaccustomedmerelytosay，twoorthreedaysbefore，’Don’tforgettocomeanddine，oldboy，accordingtocustom；’-Idon’tknowwhathesaidtotheladiesheinvited，butImaysafelyassumeitNOTtohavebeen’oldgirl。’Thoseweredelightfulgatherings，andwereenjoyedbyallparticipators。Inanevilhour，along-lostbrotherofFlipfield’scametolightinforeignparts。Wherehehadbeenhidden，orwhathehadbeendoing，Idon’tknow，forFlipfieldvaguelyinformedmethathehadturnedup’onthebanksoftheGanges’-speakingofhimasifhehadbeenwashedashore。TheLong-lostwascominghome，andFlipfieldmadeanunfortunatecalculation，basedonthewell-knownregularityoftheP。andO。Steamers，thatmattersmightbesocontrivedasthattheLong-lostshouldappearinthenickoftimeonhisFlipfield’sbirthday。DelicacycommandedthatIshouldrepressthegloomyanticipationswithwhichmysoulbecamefraughtwhenIheardofthisplan。Thefataldayarrived，andweassembledinforce。Mrs。Flipfieldseniorformedaninterestingfeatureinthegroup，withablue-veinedminiatureofthelateMr。Flipfieldroundherneck，inanoval，resemblingatartfromthepastrycook’s:hishairpowdered，andthebrightbuttonsonhiscoat，evidentlyverylike。ShewasaccompaniedbyMissFlipfield，theeldestofhernumerousfamily，whoheldherpocket-handkerchieftoherbosominamajesticmanner，andspoketoallofusnoneofushadeverseenherbefore，inpiousandcondoningtones，ofallthequarrelsthathadtakenplaceinthefamily，fromherinfancy-
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