In advertisements No. 1701 and 1705 the alphabet is again altered, and
this time more ingeniously. Instead of the letter written supply the
second following. Thus we read in the first, “Umbrella. Dear Fanny, meet
your distracted friend beneath the willow by the lake. Row under the
stars. Common sea-breezes. Feather-weight. Yours, Bicycle.” The
advertisement preceding it is most intricate, and reads, “Wrote you
to-day. Will the letter ever reach. Love beyond telling, purely and
true. Inraptured (_sic_) with love, darling. No sleep that night.” The
spelling of this is so incorrect that it was most probably inserted by
an illiterate individual. Advertisements No. 1247, 1248, 1249, 1250 are
all from the same source, and the writers have very cleverly transposed
the whole alphabet. My readers will find that they have begun their
alphabet at the letter L. Thus L reads A; M, B; N, C, and so on through
the twenty-six letters. For example, we read in advertisement No. 1247,
“On Tuesday I sent letter to Byrne for you. May I speak fully on all
matters at the interview? It may do good. Trust to my love. I am
miserable. When may I go to Canterbury, if only to look at you?”
In advertisements No. 1650, 1651, 1660, 1666, 1670, 1680, 1681, 1696,
1697, 1698, 1702, and 1703 we go back to the simpler style of disguise,
namely, that of reading the letter that follows the one written.
Advertisement No. 1650 consequently reads, “O. Y. is ill. Do not like to
leave yet. How long notice would you want? Very kind thoughts.”
Frankenstein, in advertisements 1734, 1735, 1739, and 1747, has chosen a
disguise so clever and deep that I do not think his communications would
be easily detected; and for those of my readers who possess only a small
amount of patience and a large amount of curiosity, I give the
translation of the first of them.
“Three, four, five, six, yes to all, be cautious anywhere even in German
in case of seizure or stoppage, omit signature W for the present, twig
for safety any letter to me, safe here, trust me, I will never give you
up, never darling, put plenty of love in your letters.”
No. 1764 and 1765 are very much of the same description--clever, deep,
and remarkable for the same want of method in transposing the alphabet,
and when read are worthy of the cunning nature that devised such a
disguise. As the translation is a very tedious business and would
require a large amount of patience and perseverance I give them both:
No. 1764--“Very vexed at angry part of your letter. Why not take
interest in your appearance? Heiress be damned. Have more trust. Shall
always remain as usual yours only. V.” No. 1765--“On prowl and near
game. Party scrofulous but got the brass. Parker!! Family very soft and
come from Leeds. Make inquiries. Trust is broken reed ready wanted to
swagger withal (_sic_). Help Jones usually. V.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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