Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
Ihavenowishtopublishthesepapers;but,still,itiseverymanforhimselfinthisworld,andwhatelsecanIdoifmyfriendswillnotcometomyaidwhenIwantthem?Messieurs,youmaybelievethatHerbertdeLernacisquiteasformidablewhenheisagainstyouaswhenheiswithyou,andthatheisnotamantogototheguillotineuntilhehasseenthateveryoneofyouisenrouteforNewCaledonia.Foryourownsake,ifnotformine,makehaste,Monsieurde——,andGeneral——,andBaron——(youcanfilluptheblanksforyourselvesasyoureadthis).Ipromiseyouthatinthenexteditiontherewillbenoblankstofill.
"P.S.—AsIlookovermystatementthereisonlyoneomissionwhichIcansee.ItconcernstheunfortunatemanMcPherson,whowasfoolishenoughtowritetohiswifeandtomakeanappointmentwithherinNewYork.Itcanbeimaginedthatwheninterestslikeourswereatstake,wecouldnotleavethemtothechanceofwhetheramaninthatclassoflifewouldorwouldnotgiveawayhissecretstoawoman.Havingoncebrokenhisoathbywritingtohiswife,wecouldnottrusthimanymore.Wetookstepsthereforetoinsurethatheshouldnotseehiswife.Ihavesometimesthoughtthatitwouldbeakindnesstowritetoherandtoassureherthatthereisnoimpedimenttohermarryingagain."
