(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 manuscripts, 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

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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 final chapters 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."




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