have quoted above, I was walking down one of the
lowest streets in the city on my way back from a case which I had been
attending. It was very late, and I was picking my way among the dirty
loungers who were clustering round the doors of a great gin-palace, when
a man staggered out from among them, and held out his hand to me with a
drunken leer. The gaslight fell full upon his face, and, to my intense
astonishment, I recognised in the degraded creature before me my former
acquaintance, young Archibald Reeves, who had once been famous as one
of the most dressy and particular men in the whole college. I was so
utterly surprised that for a moment I almost doubted the evidence of
my own senses; but there was no mistaking those features, which, though
bloated with drink, still retained something of their former comeliness.
I was determined to rescue him, for one night at least, from the company
into which he had fallen.

"Holloa, Reeves!" I said. "Come along with me. I'm going in your
direction."

He muttered some incoherent apology for his condition, and took my arm.
As I supported him towards his lodgings I could see that he was not only
suffering from the effects of a recent debauch, but that a long course
of intemperance had affected his nerves and his brain. His hand when I
touched it was dry and feverish, and he started from every shadow which
fell upon the pavement. He rambled in his speech, too, in a manner which
suggested the delirium of disease rather than the talk of a drunkard.

When I got him to his lodgings I partially undressed him and laid him
upon his bed. His pulse at this time was very high, and he was evidently
extremely feverish. He seemed to have sunk into a doze; and I was about
to steal out of the room to warn his landlady of his condition, when he
started up and caught me by the sleeve of my coat.

"Don't go!" he cried. "I feel better when you are here. I am safe from
her then."

"From her!" I said. "From whom?"

"Her! her!" he answered peevishly. "Ah! you don't know her. She is the
devil! Beautiful--beautiful; but the devil!"

"You are feverish and excited," I said. "Try and get a little sleep. You
will wake better."

"Sleep!" he groaned. "How am I to sleep when I see her sitting down
yonder at the foot of the bed with her great eyes watching and watching
hour after hour? I tell you it saps all the strength and manhood out of
me. That's what makes me drink. God help me--I'm half drunk n