? ? ? ? The gait of my friend was unsteady, and the bells upon his cap jingled as he strode.
? ? ? ? "The pipe," he said.
? ? ? ? "It is farther on," said I; "but observe the white web-work which gleams from these cavern walls."
? ? ? ? He turned towards me, and looked into my eves with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication.
? ? ? ? "Nitre?" he asked, at length.
? ? ? ? "Nitre," I replied. "How long have you had that cough?"
? ? ? ? "Ugh! ugh! ugh! --ugh! ugh! ugh! --ugh! ugh! ugh! --ugh! ugh! ugh! --ugh! ugh! ugh!"
? ? ? ? My poor friend found it impossible to reply for many minutes.
? ? ? ? "It is nothing," he said, at last.
? ? ? ? "Come," I said, with decision, "we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16