“Harderintellectsthanminemighthaveattributedtheextraordinaryimpressionproducedonmetothedisorderedconditionofmymindatthattime;tothewearinessofmyownbasepleasureswhichhadbeengainingonmeformonthspast，totheundefinedlongingwhichthatwearinessimpliedfornewerinterestsandfresherhopesthananythathadpossessedmeyet。I
attemptednosuchsoberself-examinationasthis:Ibelievedindestinythen，Ibelieveindestinynow。Itwasenoughformetoknow——asIdidknow——thatthefirstsenseIhadeverfeltofsomethingbetterinmynaturethanmyanimalselfwasrousedbythatgirl’sfacelookingatmefromherpictureasnowoman’sfacehadeverlookedatmeyet。Inthosetendereyes——inthechanceofmakingthatgentlecreaturemywife——Isawmydestinywritten。Theportraitwhichhadcomeintomyhandssostrangelyandsounexpectedlywasthesilentmessengerofhappinesscloseathand，senttowarn，toencourage，torousemebeforeitwastoolate。Iputtheminiatureundermypillowatnight;Ilookedatitagainthenextmorning。Myconvictionofthedaybeforeremainedasstrongasever;mysuperstitionifyoupleasetocallitsopointedouttomeirresistiblythewayonwhichI
shouldgo。TherewasashipinportwhichwastosailforEnglandinafortnight，touchingatMadeira。InthatshipItookmypassage。”
Thusfarthereaderhadadvancedwithnointerruptiontodisturbhim。Butatthelastwordsthetonesofanothervoice，lowandbroken，mingledwithhisown。
“Wassheafairwoman。”askedthevoice，“ordark，likeme？”