Armadale Prologue - Chapter II

In which a punctual Scottish gentleman named Mr. Neal waits for a doctor whose tardiness he finds unusual, only to be drawn into a grave and mysterious affair concerning the dire condition of a man named Armadale, whose secret wishes and a half-written letter demand urgent attention. The doctor, with a gentle mixture of earnestness and hesitation, persuades Mr. Neal to undertake the delicate and pressing task of giving voice to Armadale’s unspoken message, despite Mr. Neal’s measured suspicions and reluctance.