Toppleton's Client; Or, A Spirit in Exile

omise in my breast. The proper thing to do under the circumstances was manifestly to flop down on the carpet insensate, just as you did when I announced myself to you; and I assure you I had greater

you and I have fingers; with tight-drawn cheeks so transparent that through them could be seen his hideous jaws; with eyes which stared even when the lids closed over them; and, w

ow. "This is awful. I've crossed the ocean eight times, Sallie, and until now I have never known

nd I'd gladly give you the whiskey if I could, but you know how c

cheeks, "I feel better now. It was only a sudden turn I

precisely what happened, omitting no single detail of the sickening totality. Perhaps, before

asping the neck of the square-cut bottle containing the treasured fluid, with his tr

s, and yet I did not dare to turn from him to open the window. My only weapon of defence was my eye, under the tense gaze of which he seemed uneasy, and I was fearful of what might happen were I to permit it to waver f

When the draught had been taken the bottle dropped from his nerveless fi

e spirit. "That was v

on. Did this private view you and the Nile-green a

ss than a minute, although it seemed a century. I tried half

row them at him?" suggested Toppleton

spirit, somewhat disgusted at Toppleton's airy treatment of his awful situation. "Finally my visitor spoke, and for an

ar to be glad to

not. I am not a collector of optical delusions,

friend,' remonst

hering contempt into my glance as I possibly could. 'I think,' I resumed, 'if I were to be seen

led myriads of miles to help you, and the minute I put in an appearance

mit that it is difficult for a purely mortal being like myself to rece

s more terrifying to me than anything I had yet seen,

ke him nearly to suffocation. It seems to me you might use some other style of cologne to advantage when you go calling on

en per cent.," put in Toppleton, "that is, it h

e felt at Toppleton's words. "I talked up to him all the time, though I was quaking inwar

s spunky as this all the time, you would not need my assistance, but

that, when he got so near that I could feel his wretched soul-chilling breath upon my cheek, his luminous body towering above me as a giant towers over a

ning of which will make you famous, but which you, by yourself, with all the law in Christendom on

d I, 'I must

itor, 'for I am here t

d. 'You are a degree too foggy to be acc

ovide me with the means to appear in court. Yo

d Hopkins. "Were you fool enough to gi

my soul. The temptation of Faust was nowhere alongside of that which was placed before me as mine if I but chose to take it, and no price was asked save that one little privilege of being permitted to do the things which should make me rich, powerful and happy in the guise which I wa

life of him who knows no success, to whose ears the plaudits of the world shall never come; you will live alone and uncared for, for she whom you love cannot become the wife of

should you do all this for me who

departed. I have put off against my will the mortal habitation in which I dwelt for many happy years. I have solved the rebus of existence and have put on omniscience. All things I can accomplish once I have the means. I ask you for them, with little hope that you will grant my request, however, because you are

ave this opportunit

achieved; let my unguarded words of a moment since be the seed of suggestion which planted in the soil of your brain may sprout and blossom forth into the flowers of certain knowled

lamp returned of its own volition, and but for the odour of sulphur which still

upon my couch, and fell into a deep sleep from which I did not awake for sixtee

ew more dense I could see taking shape in the chair by my table my

said, as I o

I might be much better if you'd confine you

ous as ever!

eplied; 'it belongs to neithe

e you to think of it whenever you are inclined to indulge in stupid repartee. I

ory; "that's a good word, and unless you have it copyrighted I think I'll open

ntenance. "You may have it for your vocabulary, Hopkins, but if you will take a little well-meant advice you had better be very careful about your word collection. Your frequent an

is memorandum book on his table,-a table so littered up with papers and silver paraphernalia for writing that no portion of its polished surface was visible. "I told my unw

policeman,' he said in response to this.

ks for the loan of one's body,' I answered. 'I should be more justified in lending my diamond-stud to a sn

rtune beyond your wildest dreams, to put yourself in such a position tha

like yourself. How do I know that, after I am married and have settled down to a life of honourable ease, you will not come along and insist upon an invitation to dinner; or obtrude yourself into the home circle at times when it will be extremely inconvenient to receive you? What guarantee have I that, when I have suddenly developed

word that I will be faith

of word upon which I should place any reliance whatsoever,' I retorted; '

sudden development of back-bone under the circumstance was so extraordinarily extraord

of course, unpleasant as he was to look at, he had injured me in no respect, and save for my instinctive suspicions I had no real reason for believing that he was actuated by any but the best of motives. So I replied that the best place I knew of for him to get a drink was right here in this room, and that if he would wait a second I woul

laced his cla

he said, 'that you take thi

the rather inferior brand of water we get here in London, nor do I deem it proper to ta

lf when I was fortunate enough to have a physique. In fact it was just that thing

e, and, taking the pitcher, left the room fo

on. "Your idiocy cropped out then in great

ding by the window, whistling the most obnoxious tune I ever heard. What it was I don't know, but it gave me a chill. As I entered the room he stopped whistling and turned to greet me, took the pitch

n doing with that brandy?' I

d innocently. 'You meant that

f I had swallowed a hot coal I could not have suffered more, t

his hideous forehead, until his brains, still visible through the transpar

g his mind, I suppos

said the spirit, "and

I have, it is only to save you from yourself, for b

ut when I came to once more, I was as I am now-a spirit having no visible shape; while seated in my chair, writi