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as the bent of their own minds may incline them。 Persons disposed
to take the rational view may； under these circumstances； be
interested in hearing of a coincidence relating to the present
story； which actually happened； and which in the matter of
〃extravagant improbability〃 sets anything of the same kind that a
novelist could imagine at flat defiance。
In November； 1865； that is to say； when thirteen monthly parts of
〃Armadale〃 had been published； and； I may add； when more than a
year and a half had elapsed since the end of the story； as it now
appears； was first sketched in my notebooka vessel lay in the
Huskisson Dock at Liverpool which was looked after by one man；
who slept on board； in the capacity of shipkeeper。 On a certain
day in the week this man was found dead in the deck…house。 On the
next day a second man； who had taken his place； was carried dying
to the Northern Hospital。 On the third day a third ship…keeper
was appointed； and was found dead in the deck…house which had
already proved fatal to the other two。 _The name of that ship was
〃The Armadale。〃_ And the proceedings at the Inquest proved that
the three men had been all suffocated _by sleeping in poisoned
air！_
I am indebted for these particulars to the kindness of the
reporters at Liverpool； who sent me their statement of the facts。
The case found its way into most of the newspapers。 It was
noticedto give two instances in which I can cite the datesin
the _Times_ of November 30th； 1865； and was more fully described
in the _Daily News_ of November 28th； in the same year。
Before taking leave of 〃Armadale；〃 I may perhaps be allowed to
mention； for the benefit of any readers who may be curious on
such points； that the 〃Norfolk Broads〃 are here described after
personal investigation of them。 In this； as in other cases； I
have spared no pains to instruct myself on matters of fact。
Wherever the story touches on questions connected with Law；
Medicine； or Chemistry； it has been submitted before publication
to the experience of professional men。 The kindness of a friend
supplied me with a plan of the doctor's apparatus； and I saw the
chemical ingredients at work before I ventured on describing the
action of them in the closing scenes of this book。
End