Of course you understand that I write you this in strict confidence, relying upon your honour that whatever happens you will not betray Fern. Indeed (and I have looked most attentively into the thing) the boy was led to become guilty of a deliberate jesuitical deception rather through Hume's constant insults, suspicious attitude and deliberate slights at meals, and during the hours of work, than from any motives in consequence of his loose notions of morals. Then M.'s letters (the production of the amiable dug-pa, in reality ex-dugpa, whose past sins will never permit him to fully atone for his misdeeds) distinctly say: — "do, either so and so, or in such a way"; they tempt him, and lead him to imagine that in doing no injury to any human being and when the motive is good every action becomes legal!! I was thus tempted in my youth, and had nearly succumbed twice to the temptation, but was saved by my uncle from falling into the monstrous snare; and so was the Illustrious — who is a pukka orthodox Occultist and holds religiously to the old traditions and methods; and so would be any one of you had I consented to accept you for chelas. But as I was aware from the first of what you have confessed to, in a letter to H.P.B., namely that there was something supremely revolting to the better class of European minds in that idea of being tested, of being under probation — I therefore had always avoided the acceptance of Mr. Hume's often expressed offer to become a chela. This may, perhaps, give you the key to the whole situation. However, this is what happened. Fern had received a letter of mine through a chela, with the injunction of causing it to reach its destination immediately. They were going to take breakfast, and there was no time to lose. Fern had thrown the letter on a table and ought to have left it there, since there would have been no occasion for him then, to lie. But he was vexed with H., and he devised another dodge. He placed the letter in the folds of Mr. H.'s napkin, who at breakfast took it up and accidentally shook out the letter on to the floor; it appears, to the terrible fright of "Moggy" and the contented surprise of Hume. But, his old suspicion returning to him, (a suspicion he had always harboured since I wrote to him that my first letter was brought into the conservatory by one of M.'s chelas, and that my chela could do little, though he had visited invisibly every part of the house before) — Hume looks at Fern full and asks him — whether it was he who had placed it there. Now I have the entire picture before me of F.'s brain at that moment. There's the rapid flash in it — "this saves me . . . for I can swear I never put it there" (meaning the spot on the floor — where it had fallen) — No — he boldly answers. — "I have never put it THERE" — he adds mentally. Then a vision of M. and a feeling of intense satisfaction and relief for not having been guilty of a direct lie. Confused pictures of some Jesuits he had known, of his little child — a disconnected thought of his room and beams in Mr. H.'s garden, etc. — not a thought of self-deception! Truly then, our friend was taken in but once, but I would pay any price could I but recall the event and replace my letter with somebody else's message. But you see how I am situated. M. tells me he gives me carte blanche to tell anything I like to you, he will not have me say a word to Hume; nor would he ever forgive you — he says, were you to interfere between the punishment of Hume's pride, and — fate. Fern is not really to be blamed, for thinking that so long as the result is accomplished the details are of no account, since he was brought [up] at such a school, and that he really has the welfare of the Cause at heart, whereas, with Hume — it is really bona fide Selfishness, egotism — the chief and only motive power. "Egotistic philanthropist" is a word which paints his portrait at full length.
Now for Col. Chesney.183 Since he really and sincerely was kind enough, it appears, to discern something in the outlines of your poor, humble friend's face; an impression drawn, most probably, from the depths of his imagination rather than from any real presence of such an expression as you say, in Dj. Khool's or M.'s production — the former felt quite proud and begged my permission to precipitate another such likeness, for Col. Chesney. Of course, the permission was granted, though I laughed at the idea, and M. told D.K. that the Col. would also laugh at what he will suspect as my conceit. But D.K. would try and then went and begged permission to present it himself to Col. Chesney; a permission which was, as a matter of course, refused by the Chohan and he himself reprimanded. But the picture was ready three minutes after I had consented to it, and D.K. seemed enormously proud of it. He says — and he is right, I think, that this likeness is the best of the three. Well, it went the usual way, via Djual Khool, Deb and Fern — the H.P.B. and Damodar being both at Poona at that time. M. was training and testing Fern for a phenomenon — of course a genuine one — so that a pukka manifestation could be produced in Col. Chesney's house by Fern; but, while Fern swore he needed but three month's preparation, M. knew he would never be ready for this season — nor do I think he will be ready next year. Anyhow, he entrusted the new picture to Fern, telling him again to better send it by post, for were the Colonel to ever learn that Fern was concerned in it, he would disbelieve even in its precipitated production. But D.K. wanted it delivered immediately, and while the Col. as he said — "had Master hot in his head still" — and Fern, the conceited young fool, answers — "No; before I do anything in connection with the 'packet' I must study him (Col. Chesney) more fully (!!) I want, this time, to obtain the highest possible results at the first onset. From what I have seen of the author of the 'Battle of Dorking' I have not been able to satisfy myself about him. . . . Father told me to be his 'eyes' and 'ears' — he not having always the time — I must find out the character we have to deal with"!!
In the interval, I, fearing that Master Fern may, perhaps, place the portrait in the folds of Col. Chesney's "napkin," and produce some "spiritual manifestation with his foot" — I wrote to you from Poona through Damodar, giving you a very broad hint I believe, which, of course, you did not understand but will now. Meanwhile, yester morning D.K. came and told me that Fern still had his picture and that he feared that some trick had or would be played. Then I immediately aroused my too indifferent Brother from his apathy. I showed to him how dangerous was the situation left in the unscrupulous hands of a boy, whose sense of morality was still more blunted by the "probation" tests and deceit which he regarded nigh as legal and permissible and — aroused him finally into action. A telegram was sent to Fern in M.'s own handwriting, this time, from the Central Provinces — (Bussawal, I believe — where lives a chela) ordering Fern to send on immediately the packet he had for the Colonel to his address by post — and Fern, as I see, received it yesterday, in the forenoon by our time (Tuesday, 22). And thus when you hear of it, you will know the whole truth.