‘Listen, Jack,’ said Stephen, ‘if you brood upon it now, without all the data or learned advice, you will do no good, and you will make yourself sick. I know your constitution: who better? It is not one that can withstand prolonged, and above all useless, brooding. You must discipline your mind, my dear. For you are to consider, that thanks to this blessed order, you will be home sooner than the swiftest messenger – you are yourself the swiftest messenger – and that therefore it is your present duty to be reasonably gay, or at least to affect the motions of gaiety. You are to indulge in
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