Sometimes there were gaps, sometimes the same word was twice or thrice repeated.

The whole resembled a letter written by a lunatic, yet every line, every stroke of the pen, expressed the same desire uttered with passionate longing: "Take me away from here! Take me away from this woman and this house!" The epistle was addressed to her father.

She implored him to rescue her from this place, come or send for her.

"Her uncle, Matanesse Van Wibisma," she said, "seemed to be a sluggish messenger; he had probably enjoyed the evenings at her aunt's, which filled her, Henrica, with loathing.

She would go out into the world after her sister, if her father compelled her to stay here." Then she began a description of her aunt and her life.