Strange!twopowerfulandwealthyfamilies，thatinwhichshewasborn，andthatintowhichshehadmarried，haveceasedtobe——theyareutterlyextinct。
　　TothosewhoknowanythingofthehistoryofIrishfamilies，astheywerelessthanacenturyago，thefactswhichimmediatelyfollowwillatoncesuggestTHENAMESoftheprincipalactors；andtootherstheirpublicationwouldbeuseless——
　　tous，possibly，ifnotprobably，injurious。
　　Ihave，therefore，alteredsuchofthenamesasmight，ifstated，getusintodifficulty；others，belongingtominorcharactersinthestrangestory，Ihaveleftuntouched。
　　Mydearfriend，——Youhaveaskedmetofurnishyouwithadetailofthestrangeeventswhichmarkedmyearlyhistory，andIhave，withouthesitation，appliedmyselftothetask，knowingthat，whileI
　　live，akindconsiderationformyfeelingswillpreventyourgivingpublicitytothestatement；andconsciousthat，whenIamnomore，therewillnotsurviveonetowhomthenarrativecanproveinjurious，orevenpainful。
　　MymotherdiedwhenIwasquiteaninfant，andofherIhavenorecollection，eventhefaintest。Byherdeath，myeducationandhabitswereleftsolelytotheguidanceofmysurvivingparent；and，asfarasasternattentiontomyreligiousinstruction，andanactiveanxietyevincedbyhisprocuringformethebestmasterstoperfectmeinthoseaccomplishmentswhichmystationandwealthmightseemtorequire，couldavail，heamplydischargedthetask。
　　Myfatherwaswhatiscalledanoddity，andhistreatmentofme，thoughuniformlykind，flowedlessfromaffectionandtendernessthanfromasenseofobligationandduty。Indeed，Iseldomevenspoketohimexceptatmeal-times，andthenhismannerwassilentandabrupt；hisleisurehours，whichweremany，werepassedeitherinhisstudyorinsolitarywalks；inshort，heseemedtotakenofurtherinterestinmyhappinessorimprovementthanaconscientiousregardtothedischargeofhisowndutywouldseemtoclaim。
　　Shortlybeforemybirthacircumstancehadoccurredwhichhadcontributedmuchtoformandtoconfirmmyfather’ssecludedhabits——itwasthefactthatasuspicionofMURDERhadfallenuponhisyoungerbrother，thoughnotsufficientlydefinitetoleadtoanindictment，yetstrongenoughtoruinhiminpublicopinion。
　　Thisdisgracefulanddreadfuldoubtcastuponthefamilyname，myfatherfeltdeeplyandbitterly，andnotthelesssothathehimselfwasthoroughlyconvincedofhisbrother’sinnocence。Thesincerityandstrengthofthisimpressionheshortlyafterwardsprovedinamannerwhichproducedthedarkeventswhichfollow。
　　Before，however，Ienteruponthestatementofthem，Ioughttorelatethecircumstanceswhichhadawakenedthesuspicion；inasmuchastheyareinthemselvessomewhatcurious，and，intheireffects，mostintimatelyconnectedwithmyafter-history。
　　Myuncle，SirArthurT——n，wasagayandextravagantman，and，amongothervices，wasruinouslyaddictedtogaming；
　　thisunfortunatepropensity，evenafterhisfortunehadsufferedsoseverelyastorenderinevitableareductioninhisexpensesbynomeansinconsiderable，neverthelesscontinuedtoactuatehim，nearlytotheexclusionofallotherpursuits；hewas，however，aproud，orratheravainman，andcouldnotbeartomakethediminutionofhisincomeamatterofgratulationandtriumphtothosewithwhomhehadhithertocompeted，andtheconsequencewas，thathefrequentednolongertheexpensivehauntsofdissipation，andretiredfromthegayworld，leavinghiscoterietodiscoverhisreasonsasbesttheymight。
　　Hedidnot，however，foregohisfavouritevice，for，thoughhecouldnotworshiphisgreatdivinityinthecostlytempleswhereitwasformerlyhiswonttotakehisstand，yethefounditverypossibletobringabouthimasufficientnumberofthevotariesofchancetoanswerallhisends。Theconsequencewas，thatCarrickleigh，whichwasthenameofmyuncle’sresidence，wasneverwithoutoneormoreofsuchvisitorsasI
　　havedescribed。
　　IthappenedthatupononeoccasionhewasvisitedbyoneHughTisdall，agentlemanofloosehabits，butofconsiderablewealth，andwhohad，inearlyyouth，travelledwithmyuncleupontheCon-
　　tinent；theperiodofhisvisitwaswinter，and，consequently，thehousewasnearlydesertedexceptingbyitsregularinmates；
　　itwasthereforehighlyacceptable，particularlyasmyunclewasawarethathisvisitor’stastesaccordedexactlywithhisown。
　　BothpartiesseemeddeterminedtoavailthemselvesoftheirsuitabilityduringthebriefstaywhichMr。Tisdallhadpromised；theconsequencewas，thattheyshutthemselvesupinSirArthur’sprivateroomfornearlyallthedayandthegreaterpartofthenight，duringthespaceofnearlyaweek，attheendofwhichtheservanthavingonemorning，asusual，knockedatMr。Tisdall’sbed-
　　roomdoorrepeatedly，receivednoanswer，and，uponattemptingtoenter，foundthatitwaslocked；thisappearedsuspicious，and，theinmatesofthehousehavingbeenalarmed，thedoorwasforcedopen，and，onproceedingtothebed，theyfoundthebodyofitsoccupantperfectlylifeless，andhanginghalf-wayout，theheaddownwards，andnearthefloor。Onedeepwoundhadbeeninflicteduponthetemple，apparentlywithsomebluntinstrumentwhichhadpenetratedthebrain；andanotherblow，lesseffective，probablythefirstaimed，hadgrazedthehead，removingsomeofthescalp，butleavingtheskulluntouched。Thedoorhadbeendouble-
　　lockedupontheINSIDE，inevidenceofwhichthekeystilllaywhereithadbeenplacedinthelock。
　　Thewindow，thoughnotsecuredontheinterior，wasclosed——acircumstancenotalittlepuzzling，asitaffordedtheonlyothermodeofescapefromtheroom；itlookedout，too，uponakindofcourtyard，roundwhichtheoldbuildingsstood，formerlyaccessiblebyanarrowdoorwayandpassagelyingintheoldestsideofthequadrangle，butwhichhadsincebeenbuiltup，soastoprecludeallingressoregress；theroomwasalsouponthesecondstory，andtheheightofthewindowconsiderable。
　　Nearthebedwerefoundapairofrazorsbelongingtothemurderedman，oneofthemupontheground，andbothofthemopen。Theweaponwhichhadinflictedthemortalwoundwasnottobefoundintheroom，norwereanyfootstepsorothertracesofthemurdererdiscoverable。
　　AtthesuggestionofSirArthurhimself，acoronerwasinstantlysummonedtoattend，andaninquestwasheld；nothing，however，inanydegreeconclusivewaselicited；thewalls，ceiling，andflooroftheroomwerecarefullyexamined，inordertoascertainwhethertheycontainedatrap-
　　doororotherconcealedmodeofentrance——butnosuchthingappeared。
　　Suchwastheminutenessofinvestigationemployed，that，althoughthegratehadcontainedalargefireduringthenight，theyproceededtoexamineeventheverychimney，inordertodiscoverwhetherescapebyitwerepossible；butthisattempt，too，wasfruitless，forthechimney，builtintheoldfashion，roseinaperfectlyperpendicularlinefromthehearthtoaheightofnearlyfourteenfeetabovetheroof，affordinginitsinteriorscarcelythepossibilityofascent，thefluebeingsmoothlyplastered，andslopingtowardsthetoplikeaninvertedfunnel，promising，too，evenifthesummitwereattained，owingtoitsgreatheight，butaprecariousdescentuponthesharpandsteep-ridgedroof；theashes，too，whichlayinthegrate，andthesoot，asfarasitcouldbeseen，wereundisturbed，acircumstancealmostconclusiveofthequestion。
　　SirArthurwasofcourseexamined；hisevidencewasgivenwithclearnessandunreserve，whichseemedcalculatedtosilenceallsuspicion。Hestatedthat，uptothedayandnightimmediatelyprecedingthecatastrophe，hehadlosttoaheavyamount，butthat，attheirlastsitting，hehadnotonlywonbackhisoriginalloss，butupwardsoffourthousandpoundsinaddition；inevidenceofwhichheproducedanacknowledgmentofdebttothatamountinthehandwritingofthedeceased，andbearingthedateofthefatalnight。
　　Hehadmentionedthecircumstancetohislady，andinpresenceofsomeofthedomestics；whichstatementwassupportedbyTHEIRrespectiveevidence。
　　Oneofthejuryshrewdlyobserved，thatthecircumstanceofMr。Tisdall’shavingsustainedsoheavyalossmighthavesuggestedtosomeill-mindedpersonsaccidentallyhearingit，theplanofrobbinghim，afterhavingmurderedhiminsuchamannerasmightmakeitappearthathehadcommittedsuicide；asuppositionwhichwasstronglysupportedbytherazorshavingbeenfoundthusdisplaced，andremovedfromtheircase。Twopersonshadprobablybeenengagedintheattempt，onewatchingbythesleepingman，andreadytostrikehimincaseofhisawakeningsuddenly，whiletheotherwasprocuringtherazorsandemployedininflictingthefatalgash，soastomakeitappeartohavebeentheactofthemurderedmanhimself。ItwassaidthatwhilethejurorwasmakingthissuggestionSirArthurchangedcolour。
　　Nothing，however，likelegalevidenceappearedagainsthim，andtheconsequencewasthattheverdictwasfoundagainstapersonorpersonsunknown；andforsometimethematterwassufferedtorest，until，afteraboutfivemonths，myfatherreceivedaletterfromapersonsigninghimselfAndrewCollis，andrepresentinghimselftobethecousinofthedeceased。ThisletterstatedthatSirArthurwaslikelytoincurnotmerelysuspicion，butpersonalrisk，unlesshecouldaccountforcertaincircumstancesconnectedwiththerecentmurder，andcontainedacopyofaletterwrittenbythedeceased，andbearingdate，thedayoftheweek，andofthemonth，uponthenightofwhichthedeedofbloodhadbeenperpetrated。Tisdall’snoteranasfollows：
　　’DEARCOLLIS，’IhavehadsharpworkwithSirArthur；hetriedsomeofhisstaletricks，butsoonfoundthat_I_wasYorkshiretoo：
　　itwouldnotdo——youunderstandme。Wewenttotheworklikegoodones，head，heartandsoul；and，infact，sinceIcamehere，Ihavelostnotime。Iamratherfagged，butIamsuretobewellpaidformyhardship；IneverwantsleepsolongasIcanhavethemusicofadice-box，andwherewithaltopaythepiper。AsItoldyou，hetriedsomeofhisqueerturns，butIfoiledhimlikeaman，and，inreturn，gavehimmorethanhecouldrelishofthegenuineDEADKNOWLEDGE。
　　’Inshort，Ihavepluckedtheoldbaronetasneverbaronetwaspluckedbefore；
　　Ihavescarcelefthimthestumpofaquill；Ihavegotpromissorynotesinhishandtotheamountof——ifyoulikeroundnumbers，say，thirtythousandpounds，safelydepositedinmyportablestrong-
　　box，aliasdouble-claspedpocket-book。I
　　leavethisruinousoldrat-holeearlyonto-
　　morrow，fortworeasons——first，IdonotwanttoplaywithSirArthurdeeperthanIthinkhissecurity，thatis，hismoney，orhismoney’sworth，wouldwarrant；and，secondly，becauseIamsaferahundredmilesfromSirArthurthaninthehousewithhim。Lookyou，myworthy，Itellyouthisbetweenourselves——Imaybewrong，but，byG——，IamassureasthatI
　　amnowliving，thatSirA——attemptedtopoisonmelastnight；somuchforoldfriendshiponbothsides。
　　’WhenIwonthelaststake，aheavyoneenough，myfriendleanthisforeheaduponhishands，andyou’lllaughwhenItellyouthathisheadliterallysmokedlikeahotdumpling。Idonotknowwhetherhisagitationwasproducedbytheplanwhichhehadagainstme，orbyhishavinglostsoheavily——thoughitmustbeallowedthathehadreasontobealittlefunked，whicheverwayhisthoughtswent；buthepulledthebell，andorderedtwobottlesofchampagne。Whilethefellowwasbringingthemhedrewoutapromissorynotetothefullamount，whichhesigned，and，asthemancameinwiththebottlesandglasses，hedesiredhimtobeoff；hefilledoutaglassforme，and，whilehethoughtmyeyeswereoff，forIwasputtinguphisnoteatthetime，hedroppedsomethingslylyintoit，nodoubttosweetenit；butIsawitall，and，whenhehandedittome，I
　　said，withanemphasiswhichhemightormightnotunderstand：
　　’“Thereissomesedimentinthis；I’llnotdrinkit。“
　　’“Isthere？“saidhe，andatthesametimesnatcheditfrommyhandandthrewitintothefire。Whatdoyouthinkofthat？haveInotatenderchickentomanage？Winorlose，Iwillnotplaybeyondfivethousandto-night，andto-
　　morrowseesmesafeoutofthereachofSirArthur’schampagne。So，allthingsconsidered，Ithinkyoumustallowthatyouarenotthelastwhohavefoundaknowingboyin’Yourstocommand，’HUGHTISDALL。’
　　OftheauthenticityofthisdocumentI
　　neverheardmyfatherexpressadoubt；
　　andIamsatisfiedthat，owingtohisstrongconvictioninfavourofhisbrother，hewouldnothaveadmitteditwithoutsufficientinquiry，inasmuchasittendedtoconfirmthesuspicionswhichalreadyexistedtohisprejudice。
　　Now，theonlypointinthisletterwhichmadestronglyagainstmyuncle，wasthementionofthe’double-claspedpocket-
　　book’asthereceptacleofthepaperslikelytoinvolvehim，forthispocket-bookwasnotforthcoming，noranywheretobefound，norhadanypapersreferringtohisgamingtransactionsbeenfounduponthedeadman。However，whatevermighthavebeentheoriginalintentionofthisCollis，neithermyunclenormyfathereverheardmoreofhim；buthepublishedtheletterinFaulkner’snewspaper，whichwasshortlyafterwardsmadethevehicleofamuchmoremysteriousattack。ThepassageinthatperiodicaltowhichIallude，occurredaboutfouryearsafterwards，andwhilethefataloccurrencewasstillfreshinpublicrecollection。Itcommencedbyaramblingpreface，statingthat’aCERTAINPERSON