I was under a species of mental excitement which reminded me of my feelings some years before at Oxford on the first occasion of our ever playing the _Gagliarda_ together, and an idea struck me with the force of intuition that in these three lost leaves lay the secret of my friend's ruin.
I turned to the context to see whether there was anything in the entries preceding or following the lacuna that would afford a clue to the missing passage.

The record of the few days immediately preceding the 23d of October was short and contained nothing of any moment whatever.
Adrian and Jocelyn were alone together at the Villa de Angelis.

The entry on the 22d was very unimportant and apparently quite complete, ending at the bottom of page 348.

Of the 23d there was, as I have said, no record at all, and the entry for the 24th began at the top of page 355.

This last memorandum was also brief, and written when the author was annoyed by Jocelyn leaving him.
The defection of his companion had been apparently entirely unexpected.
There was at least no previous hint of any such intention.