ime went by, and the years spent in drink and debauchery began to
tell even on the big, strong body which should have served any other man
bravely long past his threescore and ten, Sir Jeoffry drank harder and
lived more wildly, sometimes being driven desperate by dulness, his
coarse pleasures having lost their potency.

"Liquor is not as strong as it once was," he used to grumble, "and there
are fewer things to stir a man to frolic. Lord, what roaring days and
nights a man could have thirty years ago."

So in his efforts to emulate such nights and days, he plunged deeper and
deeper into new orgies; and one night, after a heavy day's hunting,
sitting at the head of his table with his old companions, he suddenly
leaned forward, staring with starting eyes at an empty chair in a dark
corner. His face grew purple, and he gasped and gurgled.

"What is't, Jeoff?" old Eldershawe cried, touching his shoulder with a
shaking hand. "What's the man staring at, as if he had gone mad?"

"Jack," cried Sir Jeoffry, his eyes still farther starting from their
sockets. "Jack! what say you? I cannot hear."

The next instant he sprang up, shrieking, and thrusting with his hands as
if warding something off.

"Keep back!" he yelled. "There is green mould on thee. Where hast thou
been to grow mouldy? Keep back! Where hast thou been?"

His friends at table started up, staring at him and losing colour; he
shrieked so loud and strangely, he clutched his hair with his hands, and
fell into his chair, raving, clutching, and staring, or dashing his head
down upon the table to hide his face, and then raising it as if he could
not resist being drawn in his affright to gaze again. There was no
soothing him. He shouted, and struggled with those who would have held
him. 'Twas Jack Oxon who was there, he swore--Jack, who kept stealing
slowly nearer to him, his face and his fine clothes damp and green, he
beat at the air with mad hands, and at last fell upon the floor, and
rolled, foaming at the mouth.

They contrived, after great strugglings, to bear him to his chamber, but
it took the united strength of all who would stay near him to keep him
from making an end of himself. By the dawn of day his boon companions
stood by him with their garments torn to tatters, their faces drenched
with sweat, and their own eyes almost starting from their sockets; the
doctor who had been sent for, coming in no hurry, but scowled and shook
his head when