The Moonstone Read online

  CHAPTER I

  In the first part of ROBINSON CRUSOE, at page one hundred andtwenty-nine, you will find it thus written:

  "Now I saw, though too late, the Folly of beginning a Work before wecount the Cost, and before we judge rightly of our own Strength to gothrough with it."

  Only yesterday, I opened my ROBINSON CRUSOE at that place. Only thismorning (May twenty-first, Eighteen hundred and fifty), came my lady'snephew, Mr. Franklin Blake, and held a short conversation with me, asfollows:--

  "Betteredge," says Mr. Franklin, "I have been to the lawyer's about somefamily matters; and, among other things, we have been talking of theloss of the Indian Diamond, in my aunt's house in Yorkshire, two yearssince. Mr. Bruff thinks as I think, that the whole story ought, in theinterests of truth, to be placed on record in writing--and the soonerthe better."

  Not perceiving his drift yet, and thinking it always desirable for thesake of peace and quietness to be on the lawyer's side, I said I thoughtso too. Mr. Franklin went on.

  "In this matter of the Diamond," he said, "the characters of innocentpeople have suffered under suspicion already--as you know. The memoriesof innocent people may suffer, hereafter, for want of a record of thefacts to which those who come after us can appeal. There can be no doubtthat this strange family story of ours ought to be told. And I think,Betteredge, Mr. Bruff and I together have hit on the right way oftelling it."

  Very satisfactory to both of them, no doubt. But I failed to see what Imyself had to do with it, so far.

  "We have certain events to relate," Mr. Franklin proceeded; "and we havecertain persons concerned in those events who are capable of relatingthem. Starting from these plain facts, the idea is that we should allwrite the story of the Moonstone in turn--as far as our own personalexperience extends, and no farther. We must begin by showing how theDiamond first fell into the hands of my uncle Herncastle, when he wasserving in India fifty years since. This prefatory narrative I havealready got by me in the form of an old family paper, which relates thenecessary particulars on the authority of an eye-witness. The next thingto do is to tell how the Diamond found its way into my aunt's house inYorkshire, two years ago, and how it came to be lost in little more thantwelve hours afterwards. Nobody knows as much as you do, Betteredge,about what went on in the house at that time. So you must take the penin hand, and start the story."

  In those terms I was informed of what my personal concern was with thematter of the Diamond. If you are curious to know what course I tookunder the circumstances, I beg to inform you that I did what you wouldprobably have done in my place. I modestly declared myself to be quiteunequal to the task imposed upon me--and I privately felt, all the time,that I was quite clever enough to perform it, if I only gave my ownabilities a fair chance. Mr. Franklin, I imagine, must have seen myprivate sentiments in my face. He declined to believe in my modesty; andhe insisted on giving my abilities a fair chance.

  Two hours have passed since Mr. Franklin left me. As soon as his backwas turned, I went to my writing desk to start the story. There I havesat helpless (in spite of my abilities) ever since; seeing what RobinsonCrusoe saw, as quoted above--namely, the folly of beginning a workbefore we count the cost, and before we judge rightly of our ownstrength to go through with it. Please to remember, I opened the bookby accident, at that bit, only the day before I rashly undertook thebusiness now in hand; and, allow me to ask--if THAT isn't prophecy, whatis?

  I am not superstitious; I have read a heap of books in my time; I ama scholar in my own way. Though turned seventy, I possess an activememory, and legs to correspond. You are not to take it, if you please,as the saying of an ignorant man, when I express my opinion that sucha book as ROBINSON CRUSOE never was written, and never will be writtenagain. I have tried that book for years--generally in combination witha pipe of tobacco--and I have found it my friend in need in all thenecessities of this mortal life. When my spirits are bad--ROBINSONCRUSOE. When I want advice--ROBINSON CRUSOE. In past times when my wifeplagued me; in present times when I have had a drop too much--ROBINSONCRUSOE. I have worn out six stout ROBINSON CRUSOES with hard work in myservice. On my lady's last birthday she gave me a seventh. I took a droptoo much on the strength of it; and ROBINSON CRUSOE put me right again.Price four shillings and sixpence, bound in blue, with a picture intothe bargain.

  Still, this don't look much like starting the story of the Diamond--doesit? I seem to be wandering off in search of Lord knows what, Lord knowswhere. We will take a new sheet of paper, if you please, and begin overagain, with my best respects to you.