Theimpressionthatwasmadeuponmebytheincidentsofthatnightisindelible。Thewindgraduallyroseintoanhurricane；thelargestbranchesweretornfromthetrees，andwhirledaloftintotheair；otherswereuprootedandlaidprostrateontheground。
Thebarnwasaspaciousedifice，consistingwhollyofwood，andfilledwithaplenteousharvest。Thussuppliedwithfuel，andfannedbythewind，thefireragedwithincrediblefury；meanwhilecloudsrolledabove，whoseblacknesswasrenderedmoreconspicuousbyreflectionfromtheflames；thevastvolumesofsmokeweredissipatedinamomentbythestorm，whileglowingfragmentsandcinderswerebornetoanimmensehight，andtossedeverywhereinwildconfusion。Everandanonthesablecanopythathungarounduswasstreakedwithlightning，andthepeals，bywhichitwasaccompanied，weredeafning，andwithscarcelyanyintermission。
Itwas，doubtless，absurdtoimagineanyconnexionbetweenthisportentoussceneandthepurposethatIhadmeditated，yetabeliefofthisconnexion，thoughwaveringandobscure，lurkedinmymind；somethingmorethanacoincidencemerelycasual，appearedtohavesubsistedbetweenmysituation，atmyfather\'sbedside，andtheflashthatdartedthroughthewindow，anddivertedmefrommydesign。Itpalsiedmycourage，andstrengthenedmyconviction，thatmyschemewascriminal。
Aftersometimehadelapsed，andtranquilitywas，insomedegree，restoredinthefamily，myfatherrevertedtothecircumstancesinwhichIhadbeendiscoveredonthefirstalarmofthisevent。Thetruthwasimpossibletobetold。Ifelttheutmostreluctancetobeguiltyofafalsehood，butbyfalsehoodonlycouldIeludedetection。Thatmyguiltwastheoffspringofafatalnecessity，thattheinjusticeofothersgaveitbirthandmadeitunavoidable，affordedmeslightconsolation。Nothingcanbemoreinjuriousthanalie，butitseviltendencychieflyrespectsourfutureconduct。Itsdirectconsequencesmaybetransientandfew，butitfacilitatesarepetition，strengthenstemptation，andgrowsintohabit。Ipretendedsomenecessityhaddrawnmefrommybed，andthatdiscoveringtheconditionofthebarn，Ihastenedtoinformmyfather。
Sometimeafterthis，myfathersummonedmetohispresence。
Ihadbeenpreviouslyguiltyofdisobediencetohiscommands，inamatteraboutwhichhewasusuallyveryscrupulous。Mybrotherhadbeenprivytomyoffence，andhadthreatenedtobemyaccuser。OnthisoccasionIexpectednothingbutarraignmentandpunishment。
Wearyofoppression，andhopelessofanychangeinmyfather\'stemperandviews，Ihadformedtheresolutionofelopingfromhishouse，andoftrusting，youngasIwas，tothecapriceoffortune。
Iwashesitatingwhethertoabscondwithouttheknowledgeofthefamily，ortomakemyresolutionsknowntothem，andwhileIavowedmyresolution，toadheretoitinspiteofoppositionandremonstrances，whenIreceivedthissummons。
Iwasemployedatthistimeinthefield；nightwasapproaching，andIhadmadenopreparationfordeparture；allthepreparationinmypowertomake，wasindeedsmall；afewclothes，madeintoabundle，wasthesumofmypossessions。Timewouldhavelittleinfluenceinimprovingmyprospects，andIresolvedtoexecutemyschemeimmediately。
Ileftmyworkintendingtoseekmychamber，andtakingwhatwasmyown，todisappearforever。Iturnedastilethatledoutofthefieldintoabyepath，whenmyfatherappearedbeforeme，advancinginanoppositedirection；toavoidhimwasimpossible，andIsummonedmyfortitudetoaconflictwithhispassion。
Assoonaswemet，insteadofangerandupbraiding，hetoldme，thathehadbeenreflectingonmyaunt\'sproposal，totakemeunderherprotection，andhadconcludedthattheplanwasproper；
ifIstillretainedmywishesonthathead，hewouldreadilycomplywiththem，andthat，ifIchose，Imightsetoffforthecitynextmorning，asaneighbourswaggonwaspreparingtogo。
Ishallnotdwellontherapturewithwhichthisproposalwaslistenedto:itwaswithdifficultythatIpersuadedmyselfthathewasinearnestinmakingit，norcoulddivinethereasons，forsosuddenandunexpectedachangeinhismaxims……TheseI
afterwardsdiscovered。Someonehadinstilledintohimfears，thatmyauntexasperatedathisoppositiontoherrequest，respectingtheunfortunateFrank，wouldbequeathherpropertytostrangers；toobviatethisevil，whichhisavaricepromptedhimtoregardasmuchgreaterthananymischief，thatwouldaccruetome，fromthechangeofmyabode，heembracedherproposal。
Ienteredwithexultationandtriumphonthisnewscene；myhopeswerebynomeansdisappointed。Detestedlabourwasexchangedforluxuriousidleness。Iwasmasterofmytime，andthechuserofmyoccupations。MykinswomanondiscoveringthatIentertainednorelishforthedrudgeryofcolleges，andwascontentedwiththemeansofintellectualgratification，whichIcouldobtainunderherroof，allowedmetopursuemyownchoice。
Threetranquilyearspassedaway，duringwhich，eachdayaddedtomyhappiness，byaddingtomyknowledge。Mybiloquialfacultywasnotneglected。Iimproveditbyassiduousexercise；Ideeplyreflectedontheusetowhichitmightbeapplied。Iwasnotdestituteofpureintentions；Idelightednotinevil；Iwasincapableofknowinglycontributingtoanother\'smisery，butthesoleorprincipalendofmyendeavourswasnotthehappinessofothers。
Iwasactuatedbyambition。Iwasdelightedtopossesssuperiorpower；Iwaspronetomanifestthatsuperiority，andwassatisfiedifthisweredone，withoutmuchsolicitudeconcerningconsequences。Isportedfrequentlywiththeapprehensionsofmyassociates，andthrewoutabaitfortheirwonder，andsuppliedthemwithoccasionsforthestructureoftheories。ItmaynotbeamisstoenumerateoneortwoadventuresinwhichIwasengaged。
ChapterIII。
IhadtakenmuchpainstoimprovethesagacityofafavouriteSpaniel。Itwasmypurpose，indeed，toascertaintowhatdegreeofimprovementtheprinciplesofreasoningandimitationcouldbecarriedinadog。Thereisnodoubtthattheanimalaffixesdistinctideastosounds。Whatarethepossiblelimitsofhisvocabularynoonecantell。InconversingwithmydogIdidnotuseEnglishwords，butselectedsimplemonosyllables。Habitlikewiseenabledhimtocomprehendmygestures。IfIcrossedmyhandsonmybreastheunderstoodthesignalandlaiddownbehindme。IfIjoinedmyhandsandliftedthemtomybreast，hereturnedhome。IfIgraspedonearmabovetheelbowheranbeforeme。IfIliftedmyhandtomyforeheadhetrottedcomposedlybehind。ByonemotionIcouldmakehimbark；byanotherIcouldreducehimtosilence。Hewouldhowlintwentydifferentstrainsofmournfulness，atmybidding。Hewouldfetchandcarrywithundeviatingfaithfulness。
Hisactionsbeingthuschieflyregulatedbygestures，thattoastrangerwouldappearindifferentorcasual，itwaseasytoproduceabeliefthattheanimal\'sknowledgewasmuchgreaterthanintruth，itwas。
Oneday，inamixedcompany，thediscourseturnedupontheunrivaledabilitiesof~~Damon~~。Damonhad，indeed，acquiredinallthecircleswhichIfrequented，anextraordinaryreputation。
Numerousinstancesofhissagacitywerequotedandsomeofthemexhibitedonthespot。Muchsurprisewasexcitedbythereadinesswithwhichheappearedtocomprehendsentencesofconsiderableabstractionandcomplexity，though，heinreality，attendedtonothingbutthemovementsofhandorfingerswithwhichI
accompaniedmywords。Ienhancedtheastonishmentofsomeandexcitedtheridiculeofothers，byobservingthatmydognotonlyunderstoodEnglishwhenspokenbyothers，butactuallyspokethelanguagehimself，withnosmalldegreeofprecision。
Thisassertioncouldnotbeadmittedwithoutproof；proof，therefore，wasreadilyproduced。Ataknownsignal，Damonbeganalowinterruptednoise，inwhichtheastonishedhearersclearlydistinguishedEnglishwords。Adialoguebeganbetweentheanimalandhismaster，whichwasmaintained，onthepartoftheformer，withgreatvivacityandspirit。Inthisdialoguethedogassertedthedignityofhisspeciesandcapacityofintellectualimprovement。Thecompanyseparatedlostinwonder，butperfectlyconvincedbytheevidencethathadbeenproduced。
Onasubsequentoccasionaselectcompanywasassembledatagarden，atasmalldistancefromthecity。Discourseglidedthroughavarietyoftopics，tillitlightedatlengthonthesubjectofinvisiblebeings。Fromthespeculationsofphilosophersweproceededtothecreationsofthepoet。SomemaintainedthejustnessofShakspear\'sdelineationsofaerialbeings，whileothersdeniedit。Bynoviolenttransition，Arielandhissongswereintroduced，andalady，celebratedforhermusicalskill，wassolicitedtoaccompanyherpedalharpwiththesongof\"Fivefathomdeepthyfatherlies\"……Shewasknowntohaveset，forherfavouriteinstrument，allthesongsofShakspeare。
Myyouthmademelittlemorethananauditoronthisoccasion。
Isatapartfromtherestofthecompany，andcarefullynotedeverything。Thetrackwhichtheconversationhadtaken，suggestedaschemewhichwasnotthoroughlydigestedwhentheladybeganherenchantingstrain。
Sheendedandtheaudienceweremutewithrapture。Thepausecontinued，whenastrainwaswaftedtoourearsfromanotherquarter。Thespotwherewesatwasemboweredbyavine。Theverdantarchwasloftyandtheareabeneathwasspacious。
Thesoundproceededfromabove。Atfirstitwasfaintandscarcelyaudible；presentlyitreachedalouderkey，andeveryeyewascastupinexpectationofbeholdingafaceamongthependantclusters。Thestrainwaseasilyrecognized，foritwasnootherthanthatwhichArielismadetosingwhenfinallyabsolvedfromtheserviceofthewizard。
IntheCowslipsbellIlie，OntheBat\'sbackIdofly……
Aftersummermerrily，&c。
Theirheartspalpitatedastheylistened:theygazedateachotherforasolutionofthemystery。Atlengththestraindiedawayatdistance，andanintervalofsilencewassuccededbyanearnestdiscussionofthecauseofthisprodigy。Onesuppositiononlycouldbeadopted，whichwas，thatthestrainwasutteredbyhumanorgans。Thatthesongsterwasstationedontheroofofthearbour，andhavingfinishedhismelodyhadrisenintotheviewlessfieldsofair。
Ihadbeeninvitedtospendaweekatthishouse:thisperiodwasnearlyexpiredwhenIreceivedinformationthatmyauntwassuddenlytakensick，andthatherlifewasinimminentdanger。I
immediatelysetoutonmyreturntothecity，butbeforemyarrivalshewasdead。
Thisladywasentitledtomygratitudeandesteem；Ihadreceivedthemostessentialbenefitsatherhand。Iwasnotdestituteofsensibility，andwasdeeplyaffectedbythisevent:
Iwillown，however，thatmygriefwaslessenedbyreflectingontheconsequencesofherdeath，withregardtomyowncondition。I
hadbeenevertaughttoconsidermyselfasherheir，andherdeath，therefore，wouldfreemefromcertainrestraints。
Myaunthadafemaleservant，whohadlivedwithherfortwentyyears:shewasmarried，butherhusband，whowasanartizan，livedapartfromher:Ihadnoreasontosuspectthewoman\'ssincerityanddisinterestedness；butmyauntwasnosoonerconsignedtothegravethanawillwasproduced，inwhichDorothywasnamedhersoleanduniversalheir。
Itwasinvaintourgemyexpectationsandmyclaims……
theinstrumentwaslegiblyandlegallydrawnup……Dorothywasexasperatedbymyoppositionandsurmises，andvigorouslyenforcedhertitle。Inaweekafterthedeceaseofmykinswoman，Iwasobligedtoseekanewdwelling。Asallmypropertyconsistedinmyclothsandmypapers，thiswaseasilydone。
Myconditionwasnowcalamitousandforlorn。Confidingintheacquisitionofmyaunt\'spatrimony，Ihadmadenootherprovisionforthefuture；Ihatedmanuallabour，oranytaskofwhichtheobjectwasgain。Tobeguidedinmychoiceofoccupationsbyanymotivebutthepleasurewhichtheoccupationwasqualifiedtoproduce，wasintolerabletomyproud，indolent，andrestivetemper。
Thisresourcewasnowcutoff；themeansofimmediatesubsistenceweredeniedme:IfIhaddeterminedtoacquiretheknowledgeofsomelucrativeart，theacquisitionwoulddemandtime，and，meanwhile，Iwasabsolutelydestituteofsupport。Myfather\'shousewas，indeed，opentome，butIpreferredtostiflemyselfwiththefilthofthekennel，ratherthantoreturntoit。
Someplanitwasimmediatelynecessarytoadopt。Theexigenceofmyaffairs，andthisreverseoffortune，continuallyoccupiedmythoughts；Iestrangedmyselffromsocietyandfrombooks，anddevotedmyselftolonelywalksandmournfulmeditation。
OnemorningasIrangedalongthebankofSchuylkill，I
encounteredaperson，bynameLudloe，ofwhomIhadsomepreviousknowledge。HewasfromIreland；wasamanofsomerankandapparentlyrich:Ihadmetwithhimbefore，butinmixedcompanies，wherelittledirectintercoursehadtakenplacebetweenus。OurlastmeetingwasinthearbourwhereArielwassounexpectedlyintroduced。
Ouracquaintancemerelyjustifiedatransientsalutation；buthedidnotcontenthimselfwithnoticingmeasIpassed，butjoinedmeinmywalkandenteredintoconversation。Itwaseasytoadverttotheoccasiononwhichwehadlastmet，andtothemysteriousincidentwhichthenoccurred。IwassolicitoustodiveintohisthoughtsuponthisheadandputsomequestionswhichtendedtothepointthatIwished。
Iwassomewhatstartledwhenheexpressedhisbelief，thattheperformerofthismysticstrainwasoneofthecompanythenpresent，whoexerted，forthisend，afacultynotcommonlypossessed。Whothispersonwashedidnotventuretoguess，andcouldnotdiscover，bythetokenswhichhesufferedtoappear，thathissuspicionsglancedatme。Heexpatiatedwithgreatprofoundnessandfertilityofideas，ontheusestowhichafacultylikethismightbeemployed。Nomorepowerfulengine，hesaid，couldbeconceived，bywhichtheignorantandcredulousmightbemouldedtoourpurposes；managedbyamanofordinarytalents，itwouldopenforhimthestraightestandsurestavenuestowealthandpower。
Hisremarksexcitedinmymindanewstrainofthoughts。I
hadnothithertoconsideredthesubjectinthislight，thoughvagueideasoftheimportanceofthisartcouldnotfailtobeoccasionallysuggested:Iventuredtoinquireintohisideasofthemode，inwhichanartlikethiscouldbeemployed，soastoeffectthepurposeshementioned。
Hedealtchieflyingeneralrepresentations。Men，hesaid，believedintheexistenceandenergyofinvisiblepowers，andinthedutyofdiscoveringandconformingtotheirwill。Thiswillwassupposedtobesometimesmadeknowntothemthroughthemediumoftheirsenses。Avoicecomingfromaquarterwherenoattendantformcouldbeseenwould，inmostcases，beascribedtosupernalagency，andacommandimposedonthem，inthismanner，wouldbeobeyedwithreligiousscrupulousness。Thusmenmightbeimperiouslydirectedinthedisposaloftheirindustry，theirproperty，andevenoftheirlives。Men，actuatedbyamistakensenseofduty，might，underthisinfluence，beledtothecommissionofthemostflagitious，aswellasthemostheroicacts:
Ifitwerehisdesiretoaccumulatewealth，orinstituteanewsect，heshouldneednootherinstrument。
Ilistenedtothiskindofdiscoursewithgreatavidity，andregrettedwhenhethoughtpropertointroducenewtopics。Heendedbyrequestingmetovisithim，whichIeagerlyconsentedtodo。
Whenleftalone，myimaginationwasfilledwiththeimagessuggestedbythisconversation。Thehopelessnessofbetterfortune，whichIhadlatelyharboured，nowgaveplacetocheeringconfidence。Thosemotivesofrectitudewhichshoulddetermefromthisspeciesofimposture，hadneverbeenvividorstable，andwerestillmoreweakenedbytheartificesofwhichIhadalreadybeenguilty。Theutilityorharmlessnessoftheend，justified，inmyeyes，themeans。
Noeventhadbeenmoreunexpected，byme，thanthebequestofmyaunttoherservant。Thewill，underwhichthelatterclaimed，wasdatedpriortomycomingtothecity。Iwasnotsurprised，therefore，thatithadoncebeenmade，butmerelythatithadneverbeencancelledorsupersededbyalaterinstrument。Mywishesinclinedmetosuspecttheexistenceofalaterwill，butIhadconceivedthat，toascertainitsexistence，wasbeyondmypower。
Now，however，adifferentopinionbegantobeentertained。
Thiswomanlikethoseofhersexandclasswasunletteredandsuperstitious。Herfaithinspellsandapparitions，wasofthemostlivelykind。Couldnotherconsciencebeawakenedbyavoicefromthegrave！Lonelyandatmidnight，myauntmightbeintroduced，upbraidingherforherinjustice，andcommandinghertoattoneforitbyacknowledgingtheclaimoftherightfulproprietor。
Trueitwas，thatnosubsequentwillmightexist，butthiswasthefruitofmistake，orofnegligence。Sheprobablyintendedtocanceltheoldone，butthisactmight，byherownweakness，orbytheartificesofherservant，bedelayedtilldeathhadputitoutofherpower。Ineithercaseamandatefromthedeadcouldscarcelyfailofbeingobeyed。
Iconsideredthiswomanastheusurperofmyproperty。Herhusbandaswellasherself，werelaboriousandcovetous；theirgoodfortunehadmadenochangeintheirmodeofliving，buttheywereasfrugalandaseagertoaccumulateasever。Intheirhands，moneywasinertandsterile，oritservedtofostertheirvices。
Totakeitfromthemwould，therefore，beabenefitbothtothemandtomyself；notevenanimaginaryinjurywouldbeinflicted。
Restitution，iflegallycompelledtoit，wouldbereluctantandpainful，butifenjoinedbyHeavenwouldbevoluntary，andtheperformanceofaseemingdutywouldcarrywithit，itsownreward。
Thesereasonings，aidedbyinclination，weresufficienttodetermineme。Ihavenodoubtbuttheirfallacywouldhavebeendetectedinthesequel，andmyschemehavebeenproductiveofnothingbutconfusionandremorse。Fromtheseconsequences，however，myfateinterposed，asintheformerinstance，tosaveme。