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¡¨My¡¡dear¡¡Ernest£»¡¡My¡¡object¡¡in¡¡writing¡¡is¡¡not¡¡to¡¡upbraid¡¡you¡¡with¡¡the
disgrace¡¡and¡¡shame¡¡you¡¡have¡¡inflicted¡¡upon¡¡your¡¡mother¡¡and¡¡myself£»
to¡¡say¡¡nothing¡¡of¡¡your¡¡brother¡¡Joey£»¡¡and¡¡your¡¡sister¡£¡¡¡¡Suffer¡¡of
course¡¡we¡¡must£»¡¡but¡¡we¡¡know¡¡to¡¡whom¡¡to¡¡look¡¡in¡¡our¡¡affliction£»¡¡and
are¡¡filled¡¡with¡¡anxiety¡¡rather¡¡on¡¡your¡¡behalf¡¡than¡¡our¡¡own¡£¡¡¡¡Your
mother¡¡is¡¡wonderful¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡is¡¡pretty¡¡well¡¡in¡¡health£»¡¡and¡¡desires¡¡me
to¡¡send¡¡you¡¡her¡¡love¡£

¡¨Have¡¡you¡¡considered¡¡your¡¡prospects¡¡on¡¡leaving¡¡prison£¿¡¡¡¡I¡¡understand
from¡¡Mr¡¡Overton¡¡that¡¡you¡¡have¡¡lost¡¡the¡¡legacy¡¡which¡¡your¡¡grandfather
left¡¡you£»¡¡together¡¡with¡¡all¡¡the¡¡interest¡¡that¡¡accrued¡¡during¡¡your
minority£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡course¡¡of¡¡speculation¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡Stock¡¡Exchange£¡¡¡¡¡If
you¡¡have¡¡indeed¡¡been¡¡guilty¡¡of¡¡such¡¡appalling¡¡folly¡¡it¡¡is¡¡difficult
to¡¡see¡¡what¡¡you¡¡can¡¡turn¡¡your¡¡hand¡¡to£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡suppose¡¡you¡¡will¡¡try¡¡to
find¡¡a¡¡clerkship¡¡in¡¡an¡¡office¡£¡¡¡¡Your¡¡salary¡¡will¡¡doubtless¡¡be¡¡low¡¡at
first£»¡¡but¡¡you¡¡have¡¡made¡¡your¡¡bed¡¡and¡¡must¡¡not¡¡complain¡¡if¡¡you¡¡have
to¡¡lie¡¡upon¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡you¡¡take¡¡pains¡¡to¡¡please¡¡your¡¡employers¡¡they
will¡¡not¡¡be¡¡backward¡¡in¡¡promoting¡¡you¡£

¡¨When¡¡I¡¡first¡¡heard¡¡from¡¡Mr¡¡Overton¡¡of¡¡the¡¡unspeakable¡¡calamity
which¡¡had¡¡befallen¡¡your¡¡mother¡¡and¡¡myself£»¡¡I¡¡had¡¡resolved¡¡not¡¡to¡¡see
you¡¡again¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡am¡¡unwilling£»¡¡however£»¡¡to¡¡have¡¡recourse¡¡to¡¡a¡¡measure
which¡¡would¡¡deprive¡¡you¡¡of¡¡your¡¡last¡¡connecting¡¡link¡¡with
respectable¡¡people¡£¡¡¡¡Your¡¡mother¡¡and¡¡I¡¡will¡¡see¡¡you¡¡as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡you
come¡¡out¡¡of¡¡prison£»¡¡not¡¡at¡¡Battersbywe¡¡do¡¡not¡¡wish¡¡you¡¡to¡¡come
down¡¡here¡¡at¡¡presentbut¡¡somewhere¡¡else£»¡¡probably¡¡in¡¡London¡£¡¡¡¡You
need¡¡not¡¡shrink¡¡from¡¡seeing¡¡us£»¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡not¡¡reproach¡¡you¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡will
then¡¡decide¡¡about¡¡your¡¡future¡£

¡¨At¡¡present¡¡our¡¡impression¡¡is¡¡that¡¡you¡¡will¡¡find¡¡a¡¡fairer¡¡start
probably¡¡in¡¡Australia¡¡or¡¡New¡¡Zealand¡¡than¡¡here£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡am¡¡prepared¡¡to
find¡¡you¡¡75¡¡pounds¡¡or¡¡even¡¡if¡¡necessary¡¡s

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