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。