In admitting them, he gave proofs of less discernment and
less candor than I once ascribed to him."
"His proofs," said Wieland, after a considerable pause, "are
different. That he should be deceived is not possible. That he
himself is not the deceiver could not be believed, if his testimony
were not inconsistent with yours; but the doubts which I
entertained are now removed. Your tale, some parts of it, is
marvelous; the voice which exclaimed against your rashness in
approaching the closet, your persisting, notwithstanding that
prohibition, your belief that I was the ruffian, and your
subsequent conduct, are believed by me, because I have known you
from childhood, because a thousand instances have attested your
veracity, and because nothing less than my own hearing and vision
would convince me, in opposition to her own assertions, that my
sister had fallen into wickedness like this."
I threw my arms around him and bathed his cheek with my tears.
"That," said I, "is spoken like my brother. But what are the
proofs?"
He replied, "Pleyel informed me that, in going to your house, his
attention was attracted by two voices.
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