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"I am happy to remark, my dear son, that you have resumed your

former pleasures and seem to be returning to yourself. And yet

you are still unhappy and still avoid our society. For some time

I was lost in conjecture as to the cause of this, but yesterday

an idea struck me, and if it is well founded, I conjure you to

avow it. Reserve on such a point would be not only useless, but

draw down treble misery on us all."

I trembled violently at his exordium, and my father continued-