the day when he clearly means to kill Edwin. This was a most
injudicious indulgence, in the circumstances. A maiden murder
needs nerve! We know that "fiddlestrings was weakness to express
the state of" Jasper's "nerves" on the day after the night of opium
with which the story opens. On December 24, Jasper returned home,
the hag at his heels. The old woman, when met by Edwin, has a
curious film over her eyes; "he seems to know her." "Great
heaven," he thinks, next moment. "Like Jack that night!" This
refers to a kind of fit of Jasper's, after dinner, on the first
evening of the story. Edwin has then seen Jack Jasper in one of
his "filmy" seizures. The woman prays Edwin for three shillings
and sixpence, to buy opium. He gives her the money; she asks his
Christian name. "Edwin." Is "Eddy" a sweetheart's form of that?
He says that he has no sweetheart. He is told to be thankful that
his name is not Ned. Now, Jasper alone calls Edwin "Ned." "'Ned'
is a threatened name, a dangerous name," says the hag, who has
heard Jasper threaten "Ned" in his opium dreams.

Edwin determines to tell this adventure to Jasper, BUT NOT ON THIS
NIGHT: to-morrow will do. Now, DID he tell the story to Jasper
that night, in the presence of Landless, at dinner? If so, Helena
Landless might later learn the fact from Neville. If she knew it,
she would later tell Mr. Grewgious.

The three men meet and dine. There is a fearful storm. "Stones
are displaced upon the summit of the great tower." Next morning,
early, Jasper yells to Crisparkle, who is looking out of his window
in Minor Canon Row, that Edwin has disappeared. Neville has
already set out on his walking tour.