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The hand…carriage was spinning away before us at a most indecorous
pace for an invalid vehicle; and was making most irregular curves upon
the sand。 Mr。 Slinkton; noticing it after he had put his handkerchief to
his eyes; said;
'If I may judge from appearances; your friend will be upset; Mr。
Sampson。'
'It looks probable; certainly;' said I。
'The servant must be drunk。'
'The servants of old gentlemen will get drunk sometimes;' said I。
'The major draws very light; Mr。 Sampson。'
'The major does draw light;' said I。
By this time the carriage; much to my relief; was lost in the darkness。
We walked on for a little; side by side over the sand; in silence。 After a
short while he said; in a voice still affected by the emotion that his niece's
state of health had awakened in him;
'Do you stay here long; Mr。 Sampson?'
'Why; no。 I am going away to…night。'
'So soon? But business always holds you in request。 Men like Mr。
Sampson are too important to others; to be spared to their own need of
relaxation and enjoyment。'
'I don't know about that;' said I。 'However; I am going back。'
'To London?'
'To London。'
'I shall be there too; soon after you。'
I knew that as well as he did。 But I did not tell him so。 Any more
than I told him what defensive weapon my right hand rested on in my
pocket; as I walked by his side。 Any more than I told him why I did not
walk on the sea side of him with the night closing in。
We left the beach; and our ways diverged。 We exchanged goodnight;
and had parted indeed; when he said; returning;
'Mr。 Sampson; MAY I ask? Poor Meltham; whom we spoke of; …
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dead yet?'
'Not when I last heard of him; but too broken a man to live long; and
hopelessly lost to his old calling。'
'Dear; dear; dear!' said he; with great feeling。 'Sad; sad; sad! The
world is a grave!' And so went his way。
It was not his fault if the world were not a grave; but I did not call that
observation after him; any more than I had mentioned those other things
just now enumerated。 He went his way; and I went mine with all
expedition。 This happened; as I have said; either at the end of September
or beginning of October。 The next time I saw him; and the last time; was
late in November。
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V。
I had a very particular engagement to breakfast in the Temple。 It
was a bitter north…easterly morning; and the sleet and slush lay inches deep
in the streets。 I could get no conveyance; and was soon wet to the knees;
but I should have been true to that appointment; though I had to wade to it
up to my neck in the same impediments。
The appointment took me to some chambers in the Temple。 They
were at the top of a lonely corner house overlooking the river。 The name;
MR。 ALFRED BECKWITH; was painted on the outer door。 On the door
opposite; on the same landing; the name MR。 JULIUS SLINKTON。 The
doors of both sets of chambers stood open; so that anything said aloud in
one set could be heard in the other。
I had never been in those chambers before。 They were dismal; close;
unwholesome; and oppressive; the furniture; originally good; and not yet
old; was faded and dirty; … the rooms were in great disorder; there was a
strong prevailing smell of opium; brandy; and tobacco; the grate and fire…
irons were splashed all over with unsightly blotches of rust; and on a sofa
by the fire; in the room where breakfast had been prepared; lay the host;
Mr。 Beckwith; a man with all the appearances of the worst kind of
drunkard; very far advanced upon his shameful way to death。
'Slinkton is not come yet;' said this creature; staggering up when I went
in; 'I'll call him。 … Halloa! Julius Caesar! Come and drink!' As he
hoarsely roared this out; he beat the poker and tongs together in a mad
way; as if that were his usual manner of summoning his associate。
The voice of Mr。 Slinkton was heard through the clatter from the
opposite side of the staircase; and he came in。 He had not expected the
pleasure of meeting me。 I have seen several artful men brought to a
stand; but I never saw a man so aghast as he was when his eyes rested on
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mine。
'Julius Caesar;' cried Beckwith; staggering between us; 'Mist' Sampson!
Mist' Sampson; Julius Caesar! Julius; Mist' Sampson; is the friend of my
soul。 Julius keeps me plied with liquor; morning; noon; and night。
Julius is a real benefactor。 Julius threw the tea and coffee out of window
when I used to have any。 Julius empties all the water…jugs of their
contents; and fills 'em with spirits。 Julius winds me up and keeps me going。
… Boil the brandy; Julius!'
There was a rusty and furred saucepan in the ashes; … the ashes looked
like the accumulation of weeks; … and Beckwith; rolling and staggering
between us as if he were going to plunge headlong into the fire; got the
saucepan out; and tried to force it into Slinkton's hand。
'Boil the brandy; Julius Caesar! Come! Do your usual office。 Boil
the brandy!'
He became so fierce in his gesticulations with the saucepan; that I
expected to see him lay open Slinkton's head with it。 I therefore put out
my hand to check him。 He reeled back to the sofa; and sat there panting;
shaking; and red…eyed; in his rags of dressing…gown; looking at us both。 I
noticed then that there was nothing to drink on the table but brandy; and
nothing to eat but salted herrings; and a hot; sickly; highly…peppered stew。
'At all events; Mr。 Sampson;' said Slinkton; offering me the smooth
gravel path for the last time; 'I thank you for interfering between me and
this unfortunate man's violence。