hat hardships and
debauchery had unhinged his reason. He paced about the room like a
wild beast, demanding drink, demanding money, and all in the foulest
language. I am a hot-tempered man, but I thank God that I am able to
say that I remained master of myself, and that I never raised a hand
against him. My coolness only irritated him the more. He raved, he
cursed, he shook his fists in my face, and then suddenly a horrible
spasm passed over his features, he clapped his hand to his side, and
with a loud cry he fell in a heap at my feet. I raised him up and
stretched him upon the sofa, but no answer came to my exclamations, and
the hand which I held in mine was cold and clammy. His diseased heart
had broken down. His own violence had killed him.

"For a long time I sat as if I were in some dreadful dream, staring at
the body of my brother. I was aroused by the knocking of Mrs. Woods,
who had been disturbed by that dying cry. I sent her away to bed.
Shortly afterwards a patient tapped at the surgery door, but as I took
no notice, he or she went off again. Slowly and gradually as I sat
there a plan was forming itself in my head in the curious automatic way
in which plans do form. When I rose from my chair my future movements
were finally decided upon without my having been conscious of any
process of thought. It was an instinct which irresistibly inclined me
towards one course.

"Ever since that change in my affairs to which I have alluded, Bishop's
Crossing had become hateful to me. My plans of life had been ruined,
and I had met with hasty judgments and unkind treatment where I had
expected sympathy. It is true that any danger of scandal from my
brother had passed away with his life; but still, I was sore about the
past, and felt that things could never be as they had been. It may be
that I was unduly sensitive, and that I had not made sufficient
allowance for others, but my feelings were as I describe. Any chance
of getting away from Bishop's Crossing and of everyone in it would be
most welcome to me. And here was such a chance as I could never have
dared to hope for, a chance which would enable me to make a clean break
with the past.

"There was this dead man lying upon the sofa, so like me that save for
some little thickness and coarseness of the features there was no
difference at all. No one had seen him come and no one would miss him.
We were both clean-shaven, and his hair was about the same leng