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the presumed； the assumed； the probable。 even though it sometimes leads us astray and causes us to misinterpret a flash of sunlight as a girl in a white dress； when these two things are as unlike as two things can be。
mrs。 dunnes mind does wander sometimes。 i fear she took in very little of our conversation about meal plans； and we shall have to go over the whole thing again tomorrow。
i have a little plan regarding my activities here and the doctor。
i have told him at great length of my belief that adeline demonstrates a type of mental disturbance that i have neither encountered nor read about before。 i mentioned the papers i have been reading about twins and the associated developmental problems； and i saw his face approve my reading。 i think he has a clearer understanding now of my abilities and talent。 one book i spoke of； he did not know and i was able to give him a summary of the arguments and evidence in the book。 i went on to point out the few significant inconsistencies that i had noticed in it； and to suggest how； if it were my book； i would have altered my conclusions and remendations。
the doctor smiled at me at the end of my speech and said lightly； “perhaps you should write your own book。” this gave me exactly the opportunity have been seeking for some time。
i pointed out to him that the perfect case study for such a book was at and here in angelfield house。 that i could devote a few hours every day to working on writing up my observations。 i sketched out a number of trials and experiments that could be undertaken to test my hypothesis。 and i touched briefly on the value that the finished book would have in the eyes of the medical establishment。 after this i lamented the fact that for all my experience； my formal qualifications are not grand enough to tempt a publisher； and finally i confessed that； as a woman； i was not entirely confident of being able bring off such an ambitious project。 a man； if only there were a man； intelligent and resourceful； sensitive and scientific； having access to my experience and my case study； would be sure to make a better job of it。
and in such a manner it was decided。 we are to worktogether！
i fear mrs。 dunne is not well。 i lock doors and she opens them。 i open curtains and she closes them。 and still my books will not stay in their place！ she tries to avoid responsibility for her actions by maintaining that the house is haunted。
quite by chance； her talk of ghosts es on the very day the book i am in the middle of reading has pletely disappeared； only to be replaced by a novella by henry james。 i hardly suspect mrs。 dunne of the substitution。 she scarcely knows how to read herself and is not given to practical jokes。 obviously it was one of the girls。 what makes it noteworthy is that a striking coincidence has made it a cleverer trick than they could have known。 for the book is a rather silly story about a governess and two haunted children。 i am afraid that in it mr。 james exposes the extent of his ignorance。 he knows little about children and nothing at all about governesses。
it is done。 the experiment has begun。
the separation was painful； and if i did not know the good that is to e of it； i should have thought myself cruel for inflicting it upon them。 emmeline sobs fit to break her heart。 how is it for adeline？ for she is the one who is to be the most altered by the experience of independent life。 i shall know tomorrow when we have our first meeting。
there is no time for anything but research； but i have managed to do one additional useful thing。 i fell into conversation today with the schoolteacher outside the post office。 i told her that i had spoken to john about the truant and that she should e to me if the boy is absent again without reason。 she says she is used to teaching half a class at harvesttime when the children go spud…hucking with their parents in the fields。 but it is not harvesttime； and the child was weeding the parterres； i told her。 she asked me which child it was； and i felt foolish at not being able to tell her。 the distinctive hat is no help at all in identifying him； since children do not wear hats in class。 i could go back to john but doubt he will give me more information than last time。
i am not writing my diary much lately。 i find that after the writing； late at night； of the reports i prepare every day about emmeline’s progress； i am frequently too tired to keep up with my own record of my activities。 and i do want to keep a record of these days and weeks； for i am engaged； with the doctor； on very important research； and in years to e； when i have gone away and left this place； i may wish to look back and remember。 perhaps my efforts with the doctor will open some door for me into further work of this kind； for i find the scientific and intellectual work more engrossing and more satisfying than anything i have ever done。 this morning for instance； dr。 maudsley and i had the most stimulating conversation on the subject of emmeline’s use of pronouns。 she is showing an ever…greater inclination to speak to me； and her ability to municate improves every day。 yet the one aspect of her speech that is resistant to development is the persistence of the first person plural。 “we went to the woods； ” she will say； and always i correct her： “i went to the woods。” like a little parrot she will repeat “i” after me； but in the very next sentence； “we saw a kitten in the garden； ” or some such thing。
the doctor and i are much intrigued by this peculiarity。 is it simply an ingrained habit of speech carried over from her twin language into english； a habit that will in time right itself？ or does the twinness go so deep in her that even in her language she is resistant to the idea of having a separate identity from that of her sister？ i told the doctor about imaginary friends that so many disturbed children invent； and together we explored the implications of this。 what if the child’s dependence on her twin is so great that the separation causes a mental trauma such that the damaged mind provides solace by the creation of an imaginary twin； a fantasy panion？ we arrived at no satisfactory conclusion but parted with th