Edgar Huntly: Or, Memoirs of a Sleepwalker

Edgar writes this short letter to Sarsefield to warn him in advance of a longer letter that will arrive tomorrow. Clithero is on his way to visit Mrs. Lorimer with “mysterious intentions” (253). Edgar asks Sarsefield to prevent the meeting, and only alludes to his own “rashness” (253) in telling Clithero the details about location.

This letter from Edgar to Sarsefield is the aforementioned letter with a fuller confession. He notes that Sarsefield is “indifferent” (254) to Clithero’s fate, but he pities Clithero.

Edgar questions Inglefield about Clithero and learns he is staying in Old Deb’s hut and labors on a nearby farm. Hoping to rescue Clithero from his “unsocial and savage” (255) state, Edgar plans to tell him that Mrs. Lorimer is alive and well.

Burdened with memories of the violence he perpetuated there; Edgar enters the empty hut. Clithero returns and doesn’t recognize Edgar at first. Edgar assures him he is a friend and tells him that Euphemia Lorimer is still alive and married to Sarsefield. Clithero makes Edgar swear to this, asks where she lives, and plans to visit this location to see if Edgar is lying. After he runs off Edgar feels embarrassed about revealing her location and concludes that Clithero is, in truth, a “maniac” (258).