whispered, hoarse as a crow. I was sitting up with my hot eyes upon him. He was white as the quilt, and the bed shook with his trembling. I had gone as far as was prudent, and I lay back with a glow of secret satisfaction.
“Yes, I will stop,” said I, “and I wouldn’t have begun if you hadn’t found it so difficult to understand my trouble. Now you know what it is. It’s the old trouble. I came up here to forget it; instead of that I drink too much and tell you all about it; and the two things together
had bored me, I had imagined the many at my heels; but now I knew - I knew! It was the few again: a few who hated me even unto death.
The idea took such a hold upon me that I did not trouble my head with reasons and motives. Certain persons had designs upon my life; that was enough for me. On the whole,