The Mysterious Affair At Styles

My Object Is To Explain The Motive Which Has Induced Me To Refuse The Righthand Of Friendship To My Cousin, John Herncastle. The Reserve Which I Havehitherto Maintained In This Matter Has Been Misinterpreted By Members Ofmy Family Whose Good Opinion I Cannot Consent To Forfeit. I Request Them Tosuspend Their Decision Until They Have Read My Narrative. And I Declare, Onmy Word Of Honour, That What I Am Now About To Write Is, Strictly Andliterally, The Truth.the Private Difference Between My Cousin And Me Took Its Rise In A Greatpublic Event In Which We Were Both Concerned--the Storming Ofseringapatam, Under General Baird, On The 4th Of May, 1799.in Order That The Circumstances May Be Clearly Understood, I Must Revert Fora Moment To The Period Before The Assault, And To The Stories Current In Ourcamp Of The Treasure In Jewels And Gold Stored Up In The Palace Ofseringapatam.