第53部分(第4/7 頁)

rs　that　Marjorie　took　to　writing；　which；　seeing　how　great　were　her　abilities　in　this　direction；　is　unfortunate。　It　is；　however；　quite　possible；　judging　from　what　I　know　of　her　disposition；　that　if　she　had　begun　earlier　she　would　have　wearied　of　the　business　and　cast　it　aside。　As　it　was；　she　showed　great　perseverance　under　distressing　circumstances；　for；　when　she　became　unable　to　use　her　right　hand；　she　taught　herself　to　write　with　the　left　and　in　all　sorts　of　strange　attitudes　made　necessary　by　her　plaint。　Personally　I　prefer　“Brother　Hilarius”　to　all　her　few　other　literary　efforts；　not　excluding　the　much…praised　“Roadmender；”　perhaps　because　of　its　charming　pictures　of　the　scenery　of　this　neighbourhood。

Marjorie　had　considerable　psychic　powers。　Thus　her　sister　Agnes　told　me　only　the　other　day　that　she　had　actually　known　her；　when　lying　helpless　in　bed；　to　read　a　newly　opened　letter　held　in　a　person’s　hand　at　the　other　end　of　a　long　room　far　beyond　her　reach　of　vision；　without；　of　course；　any　acquaintance　with　the　contents　of　the　letter。　Her　sister　told　me　also　—　she　was　present　at　the　time　—　she　believed　that　she　really　died　some　days　before　the　breath　actually　left　her。　In　this　connection　she　exampled　the　conduct　of　a　little　dog　in　the　house　—　I　think　it　was　a　fox…terrier　—　which　was　much　attached　to　Marjorie　and　for　long　weeks　at　a　time　could　scarcely　be　got　away　from　her　bedside。　A　few　days　before　her　actual　breathing　ceased；　however；　this　dog　suddenly　left　the　room；　and　could　not　by　any　means　be　prevailed　upon　to　return　there。　Such　at　least　is　the　story　as　it　came　to　me。

I　am　sorry　not　to　have　seen　more　of　Marjorie　during　her　last　years；　but　in　truth　she　vanished　away　from　kith　and　kin　and　friends。

Another　of　my　early　friends；　who；　I　am　glad　to