Monstrousassuchafaithmayseeminonewhowasqualifyinghimselfforahighmissionbyatermofimprisonment，hecouldnomorehelpitthanhecouldhelpbreathing；itwasinnateinhim，anditwasevenmorewithaviewtothisthanforotherreasonsthathewishedtosevertheconnectionbetweenhimselfandhisparents；forheknewthatifeverthedaycameinwhichitshouldappearthatbeforehimtootherewasaracesetinwhichitmightbeanhonourtohaverunamongtheforemost，hisfatherandmotherwouldbethefirsttolethimandhinderhiminrunningit。Theyhadbeenthefirsttosaythatheoughttorunsucharace；theywouldalsobethefirsttotriphimupifhetookthemattheirword，andthenafterwardsupbraidhimfornothavingwon。Achievementofanykindwouldbeimpossibleforhimunlesshewasfreefromthosewhowouldbeforeverdragginghimbackintotheconventional。Theconventionalhadbeentriedalreadyandhadbeenfoundwanting。
Hehadanopportunitynow，ifhechosetotakeit，ofescapingonceforallfromthosewhoatoncetormentedhimandwouldholdhimearthwardshouldachanceofsoaringopenbeforehim。Heshouldneverhavehaditbutforhisimprisonment；butforthistheforceofhabitandroutinewouldhavebeentoostrongforhim；heshouldhardlyhavehaditifhehadnotlostallhismoney；thegapwouldnothavebeensowidebutthathemighthavebeeninclinedtothrowaplankacrossit。Herejoicednow，therefore，overhislossofmoneyaswellasoverhisimprisonment，whichhadmadeitmoreeasyforhimtofollowhistruestandmostlastinginterests。
Attimeshewavered，whenhethoughtofhowhismother，whoinherway，ashethought，hadlovedhim，wouldweepandthinksadlyoverhim，orhowperhapsshemightevenfallillanddie，andhowtheblamewouldrestwithhim。Atthesetimeshisresolutionwasnearbreaking，butwhenhefoundIapplaudedhisdesign，thevoicewithin，whichbadehimseehisfather’sandmother’sfacesnomore，grewlouderandmorepersistent。Ifhecouldnotcuthimselfadriftfromthosewhoheknewwouldhamperhim，whensosmallaneffortwaswanted，hisdreamofadestinywasidle；whatwastheprospectofahundredpoundsfromhisfatherincomparisonwithjeopardytothis？
Hestillfeltdeeplythepainhisdisgracehadinflicteduponhisfatherandmother，buthewasgettingstronger，andreflectedthatashehadrunhischancewiththemforparents，sotheymustruntheirswithhimforason。
Hehadnearlysettleddowntothisconclusionwhenhereceivedaletterfromhisfatherwhichmadehisdecisionfinal。Iftheprisonruleshadbeeninterpretedstrictly，hewouldnothavebeenallowedtohavethisletterforanotherthreemonths，ashehadalreadyheardfromme，butthegovernortookalenientview，andconsideredtheletterfrommetobeabusinesscommunicationhardlycomingunderthecategoryofaletterfromfriends。Theobald’sletterthereforewasgiventohisson。Itranasfollows：-