I groaned and she laughed again.

That dinner with nothing to drink, although to avoid suspicion I let
Moxley fill my glass once or twice, and little to eat for my appetite
had vanished, went by like a bad dream. I recall no more about it
until I heard Lady Ragnall tell Moxley to see that there was a good
fire in the museum where we were going to study that night and must
not be disturbed.

Another minute and I was automatically opening the door for her. As
she passed she paused to do something to her dress and whispered,

"Come in a quarter of an hour. Mind--no port which clouds the
intellect."

"I have none left to cloud," I remarked after her.

Then I went back and sat by the fire feeling most miserable and
staring at the decanters, for never in my life do I remember wanting a
bottle of wine more. The big clock ticked and ticked and at last
chimed the quarter, jarring on my nerves in that great lonely
banqueting hall. Then I rose and crept upstairs like an evil-doer and
it seemed to me that the servants in the hall looked on me with
suspicion, as well they might.

I reached the museum and found it brilliantly lit, but empty except
for the cheerful company of the two mummies who also appeared to
regard me with gleaming but doubtful eyes. So I sat down there in
front of the fire, not even daring to smoke lest tobacco should
complicate /Taduki/.