In which a crisp October dawn finds Swithin St. Cleeve preparing for an early departure from his humble cabin amid the fading splendours of autumn, burdened yet undeterred by a sudden and enigmatic letter from a distant relative. This missive, containing both a cautious legacy and a stern warning against matrimonial entanglements, briefly unsettles the young astronomer before he resolves to pursue his course with the lightness of spirit that hope can sometimes inspire.