…no idle thing and that the haunting words had some deep signification? Out of pure mischief and curiosity I nodded a grave assent. “Do you intend to go?” I added.”Ere eight hours chime/’ was her reply, and the words brought with them a perfect recollection of my own dream-answer. Then I saw again the brown form and the brown river, and shuddered. The girl, I was sure from her face, perceived the tremor that made the cup and saucer I held vibrate in my nervous grasp.Meanwhile; the eyes of the man had never ceased to scrutinise me; I felt them like burning points.What an ill-looking ruffian he was — sinister and repulsive, jealous as Othello, and ready, I felt sure; for any pretext whatsoever to assassinate me.I was not surprised when he addressed me, and his voice was in admirable keeping with his person.”If you belong to the society, signor;…

…what it is to have your head full of alcohol and your stomach empty. You will smell it; its fumes will tickle your throat, and yet you will not be able to satisfy your cravings for it; and this punishment will continue till you earnestly repent of your misspent life.’”He lifted up the bottle, and the next moment” I felt its burning contents poured into the hollow of my teeth. It was in vain that I besought him for one drop, wherewith to moisten my parched throat. Not one drop did he spill, not one drop fell out; and not one drop could I remove with the tip of my tongue, though my throat was ten thousand times more a-thirst than it had ever been before. The smell of the whiskey drove me mad. I prayed for it, I cried for it, I tore whole pieces out of my tongue…