Thisoughttohavegonelastmailandwasforgotten。MybestexcuseisthatIwasengagedinstartinganinfluenza，towhichclassofexploitourhouseholdhasbeensincethenentirelydedicated。Wehadeightcases，oneofthemverybad，andone-mine-complicatedwithmyoldfriendBluidyJack。LuckilyneitherFanny，LloydorBelletooktheconfoundedthing，andtheywereabletorunthehouseholdandnursethesicktoadmiration。
Someofourboysbehavedlikerealtrumps。PerhapstheprettiestperformancewasthatofourexcellentHenrySimele，or，aswesometimescallhim，DavyBalfour。Henry，Imaunpremeese，isachief；thehumblestSamoanrecoilsfromemptyingslopsasyouwouldfromcheatingatcards；nowthelastnightsofourbadtimewhenwehadsevendowntogether，itwasenoughtohavemadeanybodylaughorcrytoseeHenrygoingtheroundswithaslop-bucketandgoinginsidethemosquitonetofeachofthesick，ProtestantandCatholicalike，topraywiththem。
ImusttellyouthatinmysicknessIhadahugealleviationandbegananewstory。ThisIamwritingbydictation，andreallythinkitisanartIcanmanagetoacquire。Thereliefisbeyonddescription；itisjustlikeaschool-treattomeandtheamanuensisbearsupextraordinar’。ThestoryistobecalledST。IVES；Igiveyouyourchoicewhetherornotitshouldbearthesubtitle，’ExperiencesofaFrenchprisonerinEngland。’Wewerejustgettingonsplendidlywithit，whenthiscursedmailarrivedandrequirestobeattendedto。ItlookstomeverylikeasifSt。Iveswouldbereadybeforeanyoftheothers，butyouknowmeandhowimpossibleitisIshouldpredict。TheAmanuensishasherheadquiteturnedandbelievesherselftobetheauthorofthisnovelandIStosomeextent-andasthecreature！
hasnotbeenwhollyuselessinthematterItoldyouso！
A。M。Iproposetofosterhervanitybyalittlecommemorationgift！ThenameoftheheroisAnnedeSt。Yves-heEnglisheshisnametoSt。Ivesduringhisescape。ItismyideatogetaringmadewhichshalleitherrepresentANNE