whose evil destiny led him to pursue you.

Yet if your fidelity fail not, great will be your recompence.
For all your toils and self-devotion, ample will be the
retribution. Hitherto you have been wrapt in darkness and storm;
then will you be exalted to a pure and unruffled element. It is
only for a time that temptation will environ you, and your path
will be toilsome. In a few years you will be permitted to withdraw
to a land of sages, and the remainder of your life will glide away
in the enjoyments of beneficence and wisdom.

Think deeply on what I have said. Investigate your own
motives and opinions, and prepare to submit them to the test of
numerous hazards and experiments.

Here my friend passed to a new topic. I was desirous of
reverting to this subject, and obtaining further information
concerning it, but he assiduously repelled all my attempts, and
insisted on my bestowing deep and impartial attention on what had
already been disclosed. I was not slow to comply with his
directions. My mind refused to admit any other theme of
contemplation than this.

As yet I had no glimpse of the nature of this fraternity. I
was permitted to form conjectures, and previous incidents bestowed
but one form upon my thoughts. In reviewing the sentiments and
deportment of Ludloe, my belief continually acquired new strength.
I even recollected hints and ambiguous allusions in his discourse,
which were easily solved, on the supposition of the existence of a
new model of society, in some unsuspected corner of the world.