autobiography-第24部分

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him　I　had　learnt　with　much　pleasure　that；　since　his　return　to　America；　he　had　been　occupied　in　preparing　for　the　world　the　history　of　his　own　life。　　I　cannot　say　much　of　that；　said　he；　but　I　will　give　you　a　sample　of　what　I　shall　leave：　and　he　directed　his　little　grandson　（William　Bache）　who　was　standing　by　the　bedside；　to　hand　him　a　paper　from　the　table　to　which　he　pointed。　　He　did　so；　and　the　Doctr。　putting　it　into　my　hands；　desired　me　to　take　it　and　read　it　at　my　leisure。　　It　was　about　a　quire　of　folio　paper；　written　in　a　large　and　running　hand　very　like　his　own。　　I　looked　into　it　slightly；　then　shut　it　and　said　I　would　accept　his　permission　to　read　it　and　would　carefully　return　it。　　He　said；　〃no；　keep　it。〃　　Not　certain　of　his　meaning；　I　again　looked　into　it；　folded　it　for　my　pocket；　and　said　again；　I　would　certainly　return　it。　　〃No；〃　said　he；　〃keep　it。〃　I　put　it　into　my　pocket；　and　shortly　after　took　leave　of　him。　　He　died　on　the　17th。　of　the　ensuing　month　of　April；　and　as　I　understood　that　he　had　bequeathed　all　his　papers　to　his　grandson　William　Temple　Franklin；　I　immediately　wrote　to　Mr。　Franklin　to　inform　him　I　possessed　this　paper；　which　I　should　consider　as　his　property；　and　would　deliver　to　his　order。　　He　came　on　immediately　to　New　York；　called　on　me　for　it；　and　I　delivered　it　to　him。　　As　he　put　it　into　his　pocket；　he　said　carelessly　he　had　either　the　original；　or　another　copy　of　it；　I　do　not　recollect　which。　　This　last　expression　struck　my　attention　forcibly；　and　for　the　first　time　suggested　to　me　the　thought　that　Dr。　Franklin　had　meant　it　as　a　confidential　deposit　in　my　hands；　and　that　I　had　done　wrong　in　parting　from　it。　　I　have　not　yet　seen　the　collection　he　published　of　Dr。　Franklin's　works；　and　therefore　know　not　if　this　is　among　them。　　I　have　been　told　it　is　not。　　It　contained　a　narrative　of　the　negotiations　between　Dr。　Franklin　and　the　British　Ministry；　when　he　was　endeavoring　to　prevent　the　contest　of　arms　which　followed。　　The　negotiation　was　brought　about　by　the　intervention　of　Ld。　Howe　and　his　sister；　who；　I　believe；　was　called　Lady　Howe；　but　I　may　misremember　her　title。　　Ld。　Howe　seems　to　have　been　friendly　to　America；　and　exceedingly　anxious　to　prevent　a　rupture。　　His　intimacy　with　Dr。　Franklin；　and　his　position　with　the　Ministry　induced　him　to　undertake　a　mediation　between　them；　in　which　his　sister　seemed　to　have　been　associated。　　They　carried　from　one　to　the　other；　backwards　and　forwards；　the　several　propositions　and　answers　which　past；　and　seconded　with　their　own　intercessions　the　importance　of　mutual　sacrifices　to　preserve　the　peace　&　connection　of　the　two　countries。　　I　remember　that　Ld。　North's　answers　were　dry；　unyielding；　in　the　spirit　of　unconditional　submission；　and　betrayed　an　absolute　indifference　to　the　occurrence　of　a　rupture；　and　he　said　to　the　mediators　distinctly；　at　last　that　〃a　rebellion　was　not　to　be　deprecated　on　the　part　of　Great　Britain；　that　the　confiscations　it　would　produce　would　provide　for　many　of　their　friends。〃　This　expression　was　reported　by　the　mediators　to　Dr。　Franklin；　and　indicated　so　cool　and　calculated　a　purpose　in　the　Ministry；　as　to　render　compromise　hopeless；　and　the　negotiation　was　discontinued。　　If　this　is　not　among　the　papers　published；　we　ask　what　has　become　of　it？　　I　delivered　it　with　my　own　hands　into　those　of　Temple　Franklin。　　It　certainly　established　views　so　atrocious　in　the　British　government　that　it's　suppression　would　to　them　be　worth　a　great　price。　　But　could　the　grandson　of　Dr。　　Franklin　be　in　such　degree　an　accomplice　in　the　parricide　of　the　memory　of　his　immortal　grandfather？　　The　suspension　for　more　than　20。　　years　of　the　general　publication　bequeathed　and　confided　to　him；　produced　for　awhile　hard　suspicions　against　him：　and　if　at　last　all　are　not　published；　a　part　of　these　suspicions　may　remain　with　some。

　　　　　　　　I　arrived　at　New　York　on　the　21st。　of　Mar。　where　Congress　was　in　session。

　　　　　　　　　So　far　July　29。　21。

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