In the summer of 1874 I was in Liverpool, whither（无论到哪里） I had gone on Business for the mercantile（商业的） house of Bronson & Jarrett, New York. I am William Jarrett; my partner was Zenas Bronson. The firm failed last year, and unable to endure the fall from affluence¹（富裕） to poverty he died.

Having finished my Business, and feeling the lassitude（疲乏） and exhaustion² incident to its dispatch, I felt that a protracted³（拖延的） sea voyage would be both agreeable and beneficial, so instead of embarking⁴ for my return on one of the many fine passenger steamers I booked for New York on the sailing vessel⁵ Morrow, upon which I had shipped a large and valuable invoice⁶（发票） of the goods I had bought. The Morrow was an English ship with, of course, but little accommodation for passengers, of whom there were only myself, a young woman and her servant, who was a middle-aged⁷ negress. I thought it singular that a travelling English girl should be so attended, but she afterward⁸ explained to me that the woman had been left with her family by a man and his wife from South Carolina, both of whom had died on the same day at the house of the young lady's father in Devonshire -- a circumstance in itself sufficiently⁹ uncommon¹⁰ to remain rather distinctly in my memory, even had it not afterward transpired¹¹ in conversation with the young lady that the name of the man was William Jarrett, the same as my own. I knew that a branch of my family had settled in South Carolina, but of them and their history I was ignorant.

The Morrow sailed from the mouth of the Mersey on the 15th of June, and for several weeks we had fair breezes and unclouded（晴朗的） skies. The skipper, an admirable seaman¹² but nothing more, favoured us with very little of his society, except at his table; and the young woman, Miss Janette Harford, and I became very well acquainted. We were, in truth, nearly always together, and being of an introspective turn of mind I often endeavoured to analyse and define the novel feeling with which she inspired me -- a secret, subtle, but powerful attraction which constantly impelled¹³ me to seek her; but the attempt was hopeless. I could only be sure that at least it was not love. Having assured myself of this and being certain that she was quite as whole-hearted, I ventured one evening (I remember it was on the 3rd of July) as we sat on deck to ask her, laughingly, if she could assist me to resolve my psychological doubt.