man whom he has in his power, he will persist in the same course of life.
Can you not warn him of the danger?"

"Peach against pals! I dare not. No trusting him."

"He would come down, mad with brandy, make an infernal row, seize two or
three by the throat, dash their heads against each other, blab, bully,
and a knife would be out, and a weasand or two cut, and a carcase or so
dropped into the Thames--mine certainly--his perhaps."

"You say you can keep back this plot against him for two or three days?"

"For two days--yes. I should be glad to save General Jas. He has the
bones of a fine fellow, and if he had not destroyed himself by brandy, he
might have been at the top of the tree-in the profession. But he is fit
for nothing now."

"Ah! and you say the brandy is killing him?"

"No, he will not be killed by brandy, if he continues to drink it among
the same jolly set."

"And if he were left without the money to spend amongst these terrible
companions, he would no longer resort to their meetings? You are right
there. The same vanity that makes him pleased to be the great man in
that society would make him shrink from coming amongst them as a beggar."

"And if he had not the wherewithal to pay the weekly subscription, there
would be an excuse to shut the door in his face. All these fellows wish
to do is to get rid of him; and if by fair means, there would be no