The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 12

A weary traveler returns to his native city after years of wandering, stepping off the train into the familiar streets of his youth. The warm welcome of an old friend, Mr. Johnstone Thomson, stirs memories of shared laughter, faded decorations, and the bittersweet ache of missed chances. Their conversation drifts between the comfort of reunion and the lingering guilt of past departures, setting a tone of gentle introspection.

Soon the pair turn a simple gathering into something more curious—a “mystery” offered as dessert, promised to be either trivial or remarkable. The mystery is presented with the same sea‑weathered optimism that has guided the narrator’s many voyages, hinting at hidden complexities beneath an ordinary setting. Listeners are invited to follow the early stages of this enigmatic encounter, feeling both the pull of the familiar harbor and the anticipation of an unforeseen twist that lies just beyond the first course.