Butsixmonthshadnowelapsedfromthedateofthisletter，andwehadheardnofurtherintelligenceofmybrother。Myfather’scomplaintincreased；thegout，hisprincipalenemy，occasionallymountedhighupinhissystem，andwehadconsiderabledifficultyinkeepingitfromthestomach，whereitgenerallyprovesfatal。I
nowdevotedalmostthewholeofmytimetomyfather，onwhomhisfaithfulpartneralsolavishedeveryattentionandcare。IreadtheBibletohim，whichwashischiefdelight；andalsooccasionallysuchotherbooksasIthoughtmightproveentertainingtohim。Hisspiritsweregenerallyratherdepressed。Theabsenceofmybrotherappearedtopreyuponhismind。’Iwishhewerehere，’hewouldfrequentlyexclaim；’Ican’timaginewhatcanhavebecomeofhim；Itrust，however，hewillarriveintime。’Hestillsometimesrallied，andItookadvantageofthosemomentsofcomparativeeasetoquestionhimupontheeventsofhisearlylife。
Myattentionstohimhadnotpassedunnoticed，andhewaskind，fatherly，andunreserved。Ihadneverknownmyfathersoentertainingasatthesemoments，whenhislifewasbuttooevidentlydrawingtoaclose。Ihadnoideathatheknewandhadseensomuch；myrespectforhimincreased，andIlookeduponhimalmostwithadmiration。Hisanecdoteswereingeneralhighlycurious；someofthemrelatedtopeopleinthehigheststations，andtomenwhosenameswerecloselyconnectedwithsomeofthebrightestgloriesofournativeland。Hehadfrequentlyconversed-almostontermsoffamiliarity-withgoodoldGeorge。HehadknowntheconquerorofTippooSaib；andwasthefriendofTownshend，who，whenWolfefell，ledtheBritishgrenadiersagainsttheshrinkingregimentsofMontcalm。’Pity，’headded，’thatwhenold-oldasIamnow-heshouldhavedrivenhisownsonmadbyrobbinghimofhisplightedbride；butsoitwas；hemarriedhisson’sbride。Isawhimleadhertothealtar；ifevertherewasanangeliccountenance，itwasthatgirl’s；shewasalmosttoofairtobeoneofthedaughtersofwomen。Isthereanything，boy，thatyouwouldwishtoaskme？nowisthetime。’
’Yes，father；thereisoneaboutwhomIwouldfainquestionyou。’
’Whoisit？shallItellyouaboutElliot？’