"Tell me fairy tales of Lambeth and idylls of the Waterloo Bridge Road.
Or light your pipe and talk to me of Barbara."
He folded up the tablecloth and put it in the sideboard drawer.
"If it's elegant distraction you want," said he, "I can do better
than that." He planted himself in front of me. "Would you like to do a
night's real work?"
"Certainly," said I.
"A gentleman of my acquaintance named Judd is in the ramping stage of
_delirium tremens_. He requires a couple of men to hold him down so as
to prevent him from getting out of bed and smashing his furniture and
his wife and things. I was going to relieve one of the fellows there
now, so that he can get a few hours' sleep, and if you like to come
and relieve the other, you'll be doing a good action. But I warn you it
won't be funny."
"I'm in the mood for anything," I said.
"You'll come?"
"Of course."
"That's splendid!" he shouted. "I hardly thought you were in earnest.
Wait till I telephone for some medicine to be sent up from the
dispensary.
Pages:
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403