The Mystery of Edwin Drood

instinctive; seeing that it is arrived at through no patient process of reasoning, that it can give no satisfactory or sufficient acc

ll human lights is subsequently proved to have failed, it is undistinguishable from prejudice, in respect of its determination not to be corrected. Nay, the very possibility of contradiction or disproof, however remote, commu

his mother one day as she sat at her knitting in his li

Sept,' return

discuss

discussion.' There was a vibration in the old lady's cap, as though she intern

liatory son. 'There is nothing

returned the old lady

unfortunate occasion, commit

led wine,' add

I believe the two young men w

' said th

not

he old lady. 'Still, I am

t see how we are to discu

pt, and not me,' said the old

a! why Mr.

ples, 'he came home intoxicated, and did great discredit

Ma. He was then, and he i

self, with his gown still on, and expressing his hope that I had not been greatly alarmed or had my rest

mind. I was following Jasper out, to confer with him on the subject, and to consider the expediency of his a

as pale as gentlemanly ashes at what h

been for your peace and quiet, and for the good of the young m

the room and kissed him: saying, 'Of co

rkle, rubbing his ear, as his mother resumed her se

y now, that I think ill of Mr. Neville. And I said then, and I say now, that I hope Mr. Nevi

to hear you

interposed the old lady, knitting

lle is exceedingly industrious and attentive, and that he improv

' said the old lady, quickly; 'and if he says th

Ma, he never s

old lady; 'still, I don't se

plated the pretty old piece of china as it knitted; but there was, certainly,

she has over him; you know what a capacity she has; you know that whatever he reads with you,

ry ruin; and the two studious figures passed below him along the margin of the river, in which the town fires and lights already shone, making the landscape bleaker. He thought how the consciousness had stolen upon him that in teaching one, he was teaching two; and how he had almost insensibly adapted his explanations to both minds-that with which his own was daily in contact, and that which he only approached through it. He thought of th

(leaving the lower a double mystery), revealed deep shelves of pickle-jars, jam-pots, tin canisters, spice-boxes, and agreeably outlandish vessels of blue and white, the luscious lodgings of preserved tamarinds and ginger. Every benevolent inhabitant of this retreat had his name inscribed upon his stomach. The pickles, in a uniform of rich brown double-breasted buttoned coat, and yellow or sombre drab continuations, announced their portly forms, in printed capitals, as Walnut, Gherkin, Onion, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Mixed, and other members of that noble family. The jams, as being of a less masculine temperament, and as wearing curlpapers, announced themselves in feminine caligraphy, like a soft whisper, to be Raspberry, Gooseberry, Apricot, Plum, Damson, Apple, and Peach. The scene closing on these charmers, and the lower slide ascending, oranges wer

blotches would he cheerfully stick upon his cheek, or forehead, if the dear old lady convicted him of an imperceptible pimple there! Into this herbaceous penitentiary, situated on an upper staircase-landing: a low and narrow whitewashed cell, where bunches of dried leaves hung from rusty hooks in the ceiling, and were spread out upon shelves, in company with portentous bottles: would the Reverend Septimus submissively be led, like the highly popular lamb who has so long and unresistingly been led

f to the remaining duties of the day. In their orderly and punctual progress they brought round Vesper Service and twilight. The Cathedral being very cold, he se

ping and flapping of the noisy gulls, and an angry light out seaward beyond the brown-sailed barges that were turning black, foreshadowed a stormy night. In his mind he was contrasting the wild and noisy sea with the quiet harbour of Minor Canon Corner, when Helena and Neville Landless passed below him. He had ha

your brother too exposed and cold for the time of year? Or at all eve

was their favourite wal

walking on with them. 'It is a place of all others where one can speak without interruption,

thing,

e some kind of apology for that unfortunate occurrence which befell on the night of your arrival h

es

s engendered a prejudice against Neville. There is a notion about, that he is a dangerously

ressing a deep sense of his being ungenerously treated. 'I should be quite sure of it, from your sayin

ays of Neville's in Cloisterham, and I have no fear of his outliving such a prejudice, and proving himself to have been misunderstood. But how much wiser to t

oked,' Helen

ilant,' Mr. Cris

y: 'O Mr. Crisparkle, would you have Neville throw himself at young Drood's feet, or at Mr. Jasper's, who malign

tor, 'that if I could do it from my heart, I would. But I cannot, and I revolt from the pretence. You f

pardon,'

ugh with a moderate and delicate touch, 'you both instinctively acknowledge t

faltering in her manner; 'between submission to a gene

ready with his argument in reference to

and falsehood. My nature must be changed before I can do so, and it is not changed. I am sensible of inexpressible affront, and deliberate

dy countenance, 'you have repeated that former

it was involuntary. I confess

r. Crisparkle, 'that I

that you had softened me in this respect. The time may come when your powerful influence will do even that with the difficul

Crisparkle, not to him: 'It is so.' After a short pause, she answered the slightest look of inquiry c

f its seeming ridiculous, which is very strong upon me down to this last moment, and might, but for my sister, prevent my being quite open with you even now.-I admire Miss Bud, sir, so very much, that I

lena for corroboration, and met in her expressiv

you seem to indicate, is outrageously misplaced. Moreover, it is monstrous that you should take upon yourself to be the young lady's champion against her chosen husband. Besides, you

he treats like a doll. I say he is as incapable of it, as he is unworthy of her. I say she is sacrificed in being bestowed upon him. I say that I love her, and desp

g lost the guard he had set upon his passionate tendency, and

t the same time meditating how to proceed, walk

g under my roof. Whatever prejudiced and unauthorised constructions your blind and envious wrath may put upon his character, it is a frank, good-natured character. I know I can trust to it for that. Now, pray observe what I am about to say. On reflection, and on your sister's representation, I am willing to admit that, in making peace with young Drood, you have a right to be met half-way. I will engage that you shall be, and even that young Drood shall make the first advance. This condition fulfi

ce: 'It is only known to us

known to the young

y sou

mind. I will not tell you that it will soon pass; I will not tell you that it is the fancy of the moment; I will not tell you that such caprices have their rise and fall among the young and ardent every hour; I will leave you undisturbed i

or thrice essayed

s time you took home,' said Mr. Crisparkle. '

yet,' Helena implored

other minute, if you had been less patient with me, Mr. Crisparkle, less considerate of m

ville,' murmured Helena, '

ice, or it would have repudiated her exaltation of him. As it wa

to say that there is no treachery in it, is to say nothing!' Thus Neville, greatl

children. You came into this world with the same dispositions, and you passed your younger days together surrounded by the same adverse circumstance

a. 'What is my influence, or my w

the highest wisdom ever known upon this earth, remember. As to mine-b

r, and gratefully and almost re

non softly, 'I am much o

est means of bringing to pass what he had promised to effect, and what must somehow be done. 'I shall proba

ss of being popular with the whole Cathedral establishment inclined him to the latter course, and the well-timed sig

knock at the door, Mr. Crisparkle gently turned the handle and looked in. Long afterwards he had cause to remember how Jasp

er. I am sorry to h

a look of recognition, and he moved a ch

be disturbed from an indigestive after-dinner sl

'that my subject will at first sight be quite as welcome as myself; but I am a minister of peace, and I pursue my

asper's face; a very perplexing expression too

uiry, in a low and slow

th Mr. Neville), and getting him to write you a short note, in his lively way, saying that he is willing to shake hands. I know what a good-natured

ing to observe it, found it even more perplexing than before, inasmuch as

n Mr. Neville's favour,' the Minor Cano

to say so. I a

the better of it between us. But I have exacted a very solemn promise from him as to his futu

, Mr. Crisparkle. Do you really feel sure t

d

and perplexing

great dread, and a heavy weight

ness and completeness of his success,

f having your guarantee against my vague and unfoun

or a day;

nows,' said Jasper, taking a book from a desk, 'but that my Diary is, in fact, a Di

way contend against. All my efforts are vain. The demoniacal passion of this Neville Landless, his strength in his fury, and his savage rage for the destruction of its obje

ther entry n

y. I told him that might be, but he was not as bad a man. He continued to make light of it, but I travelled with him as far as I could, and left him

ng it by, 'I have relapsed into these moods, as other entries show. But I have now your ass

umours to the flames. I ought to be the last to find any fault with you this evening, when you have met my

was, that night, before I sat down to write, and in what words I expressed it. You remember

t give you a brighter and better view of the case! We will discuss

ill not do the thing you wish me to do, by halves. I will tak

ersation, he called on Mr. Crisp

dear

and esteem. At once I openly say that I forgot myself on that occasion quite as much as

he better the day the better the deed), and let there be only we three,

dear

r most af

in D

s Pussy at the ne

eville, then?' sa

his coming,' s