ed itself through
the early night, even when he lay motionless on his bed staring at the
wall. And as he stared it seemed to him that there passed upon the
wall clouds upon clouds of exquisite and evanescent colour, and that
strange forms appeared and moved upon the clouds. He saw a shoal of
fishes (they _were_ fishes, radiant, iridescent, gorgeous fishes, with
the tails of peacocks); they swam round and round the room just under
the cornice, an ever-revolving, ever-floating frieze. He was immensely
interested in these decorative hallucinations. His brain seemed to be
lifted up, to be iridescent also, to swim round and round with the
swimming fishes.

He woke late in the morning with a violent sore throat and pain in all
his body. He was too giddy to sit up and help himself, but he knocked
weakly on the thin wall. His neighbour roused herself at the faint
summons and appeared. She stood at the foot of the bed with her hands
on her hips and contemplated him for a moment. He tried to speak, but
his tongue seemed to be stuck burning to the roof of his mouth. He
pointed to his throat.

"Yes, I dessay," said she. "I said you'd get somefing and you've got
it." So saying she disappeared into her own apartment.

As he saw her go despair shook him. He thought that he was abandoned.
But presently she returned, bringing a cup of hot tea with a dash of
gin in it from her own breakfast.

"I'd a seen to you afore ef you'd let me," she said. "You tyke it from
me, young man, wot you wants is a good hot lining to your belly. I'd
'ave given it to you ef you'd a let me. I'm a lydy as tykes her dinner
reg'ler, I am. No, you don't--" This, as he turned away his head in
protest. She however secured it firmly with one filthy hand, while
with the other she held the reeking cup to his lips. She had put it to
her own first to test the heat and quality of the brew. Yet he was
grateful. He had some difficulty in swallowing; and from time to time
she wiped his mouth with her villainous apron; and he was grateful
still, having passed beyond disgust.

She perceived the gratitude. "Garn," said she, "wot's a cup er tea?
I'd a seen to yer afore ef you'd a let me."

She continued her ministrations; she brought coal in her own scuttle
and after immense pains she lighted a fire in the wretched grate. Then
she smoothed his bed-clothes till they were covered with her smutty
trail. She would have gone for a doctor then and there, but difficulty
arose.