because it affords me an opportunity of extenuating myself, which has
hitherto been wholly denied to me.

As a general rule, I am quite aware that to publish a lengthy
explanation of one's conduct in any questionable transaction is not the
best means of recovering a lost reputation; but in my own case there
is one to whom I shall nevermore be permitted to justify by word of
mouth--even if I found myself able to attempt it. And as she could
not possibly think worse of me than she does at present, I write this,
knowing it can do me no harm, and faintly hoping that it may come to her
notice and suggest a doubt whether I am quite so unscrupulous a villain,
so consummate a hypocrite, as I have been forced to appear in her eyes.

The bare chance of such a result makes me perfectly indifferent to all
else; I cheerfully expose to the derision of the whole reading world
the story of my weakness and my shame, since by doing so I may possibly
rehabilitate myself somewhat in the good opinion of one person.

Having said so much, I will begin my confession without further delay.

My name is Algernon Weatherhead, and I may add that I am in one of the
government departments, that I am an only son, and live at home with my
mother.

We had had a house at Hammersmith until just before the period covered
by this history, when, our lease expiring, my mother decided that my
health required country air at the close of the day, and so we took
a "desirable villa residence" on one of the many new building estates
which have lately sprung up in such profusion in the home counties.