THE MOONSTONE.
BY THE AUTHOR OF " THE WOMAN IN WHITE," &C. &C.

SECOND PERIOD. THE DISCOVERY OF THE
TRUTH. (1848—1849.)

CHAPTER VI.

(1.) " MISS CLACK presents her compliments
to Mr. Franklin Blake; and, in sending him the
fifth chapter of her humble narrative, begs to
say that she feels quite unequal to enlarge as
she could wish on an event so awful, under the
circumstances, as Lady Verinder's death. She
has, therefore, attached to her own manuscript
copious Extracts from precious publications in
her possession, all bearing on this terrible
subject. And may those Extracts (Miss Clack
fervently hopes) sound as the blast of a trumpet
in the ears of her respected kinsman, Mr.
Franklin Blake."

(2.) " Mr. Franklin Blake presents his compliments
to Miss Clack, and begs to thank her
for the fifth chapter of her narrative. In
returning the extracts sent with it, he will refrain
from mentioning any personal objection which
he may entertain to this species of literature,
and will merely say that the proposed additions
to the manuscript are not necessary to the
fulfilment of the purpose that he has in view."

(3.) " Miss Clack begs to acknowledge the
return of her Extracts. She affectionately reminds
Mr. Franklin Blake that she is a Christian,
and that it is, therefore, quite impossible
for him to offend her. Miss C. persists in feeling
the deepest interest in Mr. Blake, and
pledges herself, on the first occasion when sickness
may lay him low, to offer him the use of
her Extracts for the second time. In the
meanwhile she would be glad to know, before
beginning the next and last chapter of her narrative,
whether she may be permitted to make
her humble contribution complete by availing
herself of the light which later discoveries have
thrown on the mystery of the Moonstone."

(4.) " Mr. Franklin Blake is sorry to disappoint
Miss Clack. He can only repeat the
instructions which he had the honour of giving
her when she began her narrative. She is
requested to limit herself to her own individual
experience of persons and events, as recorded
in her Diary. Later discoveries she will be
good enough to leave to the pens of those
persons who can write in the capacity of actual
witnesses."

(5.) " Miss Clack is extremely sorry to
trouble Mr. Franklin Blake with another letter.
Her Extracts have been returned, and the
expression of her matured views on the subject
of the Moonstone has been forbidden. Miss
Clack is painfully conscious that she ought (in
the worldly phrase) to feel herself put down.
But, no—Miss C. has learnt Perseverance in
the School of Adversity. Her object in writing
is to know whether Mr. Blake (who prohibits
everything else) prohibits the appearance of the
present correspondence in Miss Clack's narrative?
Some explanation of the position in
which Mr. Blake's interference has placed her
as an authoress, seems due on the ground of
common justice. And Miss Clack, on her side,
is most anxious that her letters should be
produced to speak for themselves."

(6.) "Mr. Franklin Blake agrees to Miss
Clack's proposal, on the understanding that she
will kindly consider this intimation of his consent
as closing the correspondence between
them."

(7.) "Miss Clack feels it an act of Christian
duty (before the correspondence closes) to inform
Mr. Franklin Blake that his last letter—
evidently intended to offend her—has not
succeeded in accomplishing the object of the writer.
She affectionately requests Mr. Blake to retire
to the privacy of his own room, and to consider
with himself whether the training which can
thus elevate a poor weak woman above the
reach of insult, be not worthy of greater
admiration than he is now disposed to feel for it.
On being favoured with an intimation to that
effect, Miss C. solemnly pledges herself to send
back the complete series of her Extracts to Mr.
Franklin Blake."

[To this letter no answer was received.
Comment is needless.

(Signed) DRUSILLA CLACK.]

CHAPTER VII.

THE foregoing correspondence will sufficiently
explain why no choice is left me but to
pass over Lady Verinder's death with the
simple announcement of the fact which ends my
fifth chapter.

Keeping myself for the future strictly within