第28部分(第1/7 页)

dures；　not　in　one　religion　but　in　many。

I　make　no　excuse　for　the　telling　of　this　true　tale；　because　it　seems　to　me　to　constitute　a　human　document　of　great　interest。　It　is　not　often　that　we　have　the　opportunity　of　ing　face　to　face　with　this　kind　of　heart　as　it　reveals　itself　in　the　foregoing　letters。　Besides；　any　whom　it　does　not　interest　can　leave　it　unread。

May　my　dear　friend’s　prayer　be　fulfilled：　may　we　meet　again　in　some　other　phase　of　life　and　there　learn　the　true　reason　of　these　matters；　if　a　mon；　erring　man　may　hope　to　associate　with　a　spirit　so　purified　and　—　yes；　so　holy。　Peace　be　with　him；　but　since　I　for　one　cannot　believe　that　he　and　all　mankind　are　the　victims　of　a　ghastly　delusion；　or　are　led　forward　by　mocking　marsh…fires　of　self…evolved　aspirations　to　be　lost　in　some　bottomless　gulf　of　death；　I　will　not　add　—　farewell。

To　return　to　my　own　history。　When　I　reached　home　everyone　was　very　glad　to　see　me；　especially　my　mother；　but　my　father　did　not　wele　my　reappearance　with　whole…hearted　enthusiasm。　He　remarked　with　great　candour　that　I　should　probably　bee　“a　waif　and　a　stray；”　or　possibly　—　my　taste　for　writing　being　already　known　—　“a　miserable　penny…a…liner。”　I　am　sure　I　do　not　wonder　at　his　irritation；　which；　were　I　in　his　place　today；　I　should　certainly　share。　He　saw　that　I　had　thrown　up　my　billet　and　he　had　no　faith　in　the　possibilities　of　African　farming。

All　of　these　things；　and　others；　he　told　me　in　the　course　of　a　row　which　arose　over　the　loss　of　a　gigantic　turtle　which　I　had　brought　home　from　the　Island　of　Ascension；　where　I　had　visited　my　brother　John；　who　at　that　time　was　first…lieutenant　of　H。M。S。　Flora。　The　Island　of　Ascension；　by　the　way；　where　they　catch　these　turtles　on　the　beach　and　store　them　in　tanks；　is　a