Discovering Jackson at the Tavern
The narrator searches for Jackson across London for several days with no success. One day, when he is extremely hungry and drawn by the smell of food from a basement cooking cellar, he goes down for a twopenny portion of beef, only to find Jackson dining there with a footman. Jackson greets him warmly, says he intended to visit the narrator’s lodgings that afternoon, and apologizes for missing their appointment. The narrator, pleased by the warm welcome and apology, forgets his anger, sits down to eat, and hopes to both recover his five shillings and get the loan Jackson previously promised to help him pay his examination fees.
Jackson’s Secret Engagement
After finishing their meal, Jackson leaves the footman and goes with the narrator to a nearby ale house. He admits his behavior looks bad, but claims he missed the appointment because he received a mandatory summons from a wealthy woman he is secretly engaged to marry, who has a £5,000 fortune plus additional financial expectations. He says he does not know what the woman sees in him, but he does not want to miss such a rare good opportunity. He explains the footman he was dining with introduced him to the woman’s maid, who is the footman’s mistress, and Jackson has given them both money over time. He tells the narrator the wedding date is already set, and shows him a letter from his fiancée to prove his claims.
The Absurd Billet-Doux
Jackson shares the love letter from his fiancée, which is written in extremely broken, nonsensical English. The narrator says he cannot determine if the letter is sublime or not, as it is entirely beyond his comprehension, and Jackson laughs, calling the letter both tender and sublime, and praising his fiancée as a divine creature who can recite all English tragedies and loves theater so much she has taken lodgings near a theater to be close to the stage. Jackson then asks the narrator’s advice on whether he should buy a government post to rise in social status or use his wife’s fortune to buy land and retire to the country immediately after the wedding. He also mentions he had planned to visit France before settling down, and wants to take his wife with him on the trip.
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