“Downthere，walkingontheroadtothevillageShewasinabluedress，andsheliftedtheveilofherbonnetandsaid：——’RamDass，givemysalaamstotheSahib，andtellhimthatIshallmeethimnextmonthatNuddea。’ThenIranaway，becauseIwasafraid。”
WhatDumoisesaidordidIdonotknowRamDassdeclaresthathesaidnothing，butwalkedupanddowntheverandahallthecoldnight，waitingfortheMemsahibtocomeupthehillandstretchingouthisarmsintothedarklikeamadmanButnoMemsahibcame，and，nextday，hewentontoSimlacross-questioningthebearereveryhour。
RamDasscouldonlysaythathehadmetMrsDumoiseandthatshehadliftedupherveilandgivenhimthemessagewhichhehadfaithfullyrepeatedtoDumoiseTothisstatementRamDassadhered。
HedidnotknowwhereNuddeawas，hadnofriendsatNuddea，andwouldmostcertainlynevergotoNuddea；eventhoughhispayweredoubled。
NuddeaisinBengal，andhasnothingwhatevertodowithadoctorservinginthePunjabItmustbemorethantwelvehundredmilesfromMeridki。
DumoisewentthroughSimlawithouthalting，andreturnedtoMeridkitheretotakeoverchargefromthemanwhohadbeenofficiatingforhimduringhistourThereweresomeDispensaryaccountstobeexplained，andsomerecentordersoftheSurgeon-Generaltobenoted，and，altogether，thetaking-overwasafullday’sworkIntheevening，Dumoisetoldhislocumtenens，whowasanoldfriendofhisbachelordays，whathadhappenedatBagi；andthemansaidthatRamDassmightaswellhavechosenTuticorinwhilehewasaboutit。
Atthatmomentatelegraph-peoncameinwithatelegramfromSimla，orderingDumoisenottotakeoverchargeatMeridki，buttogoatoncetoNuddeaonspecialdutyTherewasanastyoutbreakofcholeraatNuddea，andtheBengalGovernment，beingshorthanded，asusual，hadborrowedaSurgeonfromthePunjab。
Dumoisethrewthetelegramacrossthetableandsaid：——“Well？”
TheotherDoctorsaidnothingItwasallthathecouldsay。
ThenherememberedthatDumoisehadpassedthroughSimlaonhiswayfromBagi；andthusmight，possibly，haveheardthefirstnewsoftheimpendingtransfer。
Hetriedtoputthequestion，andtheimpliedsuspicionintowords，butDumoisestoppedhimwith：——“IfIhaddesiredTHAT，IshouldneverhavecomebackfromChiniIwasshootingthereIwishtolive，forIhavethingstodobutIshallnotbesorry。”
Theothermanbowedhishead，andhelped，inthetwilight，topackupDumoise’sjustopenedtrunksRamDassenteredwiththelamps。
“WhereistheSahibgoing？”heasked。
“ToNuddea。”saidDumoise，softly。
RamDassclawedDumoise’skneesandbootsandbeggedhimnottogo。
RamDassweptandhowledtillhewasturnedoutoftheroom。
ThenhewrappedupallhisbelongingsandcamebacktoaskforacharacterHewasnotgoingtoNuddeatoseehisSahibdie，and，perhapstodiehimself。
SoDumoisegavethemanhiswagesandwentdowntoNuddeaalone；theotherDoctorbiddinghimgood-byeasoneundersentenceofdeath。
Elevendayslater，hehadjoinedhisMemsahib；andtheBengalGovernmenthadtoborrowafreshDoctortocopewiththatepidemicatNuddeaThefirstimportationlaydeadinChooadangaDak-
Bungalow。
TOBEHELDFORREFERENCE。
BythehoofoftheWildGoatup-tossedFromtheCliffwhereShelayintheSun，FelltheStoneTotheTarnwherethedaylightislost；
SoShefellfromthelightoftheSun，Andalone。
Nowthefallwasordainedfromthefirst，WiththeGoatandtheCliffandtheTarn，ButtheStoneKnowsonlyHerlifeisaccursed，AsShesinksinthedepthsoftheTarn，Andalone。
Oh，ThouwhohasbuildedtheworldOh，ThouwhohastlightedtheSun！
Oh，ThouwhohastdarkenedtheTarn！
JudgeThouTheSinoftheStonethatwashurledBytheGoatfromthelightoftheSun，AsShesinksinthemireoftheTarn，Evennow——evennow——evennow！
FromtheUnpublishedPapersofMcIntoshJellaludin。
“Say，isitdawn，isitduskinthyBower，ThouwhomIlongfor，wholongestforme？
Ohbeitnight——beit——“
Herehefelloveralittlecamel-coltthatwassleepingintheSeraiwherethehorse-tradersandthebestoftheblackguardsfromCentralAsialive；and，becausehewasverydrunkindeedandthenightwasdark，hecouldnotriseagaintillIhelpedhimThatwasthebeginningofmyacquaintancewithMcIntoshJellaludinWhenaloafer，anddrunk，singsTheSongoftheBower，hemustbeworthcultivatingHegotoffthecamel’sbackandsaid，ratherthickly：——
“I——I——I’mabitscrewed，butadipinLoggerheadwillputmerightagain；andIsay，haveyouspokentoSymondsaboutthemare’sknees？”
NowLoggerheadwassixthousandwearymilesawayfromus，closetoMesopotamia，whereyoumustn’tfishandpoachingisimpossible，andCharleySymonds’stableahalfmilefurtheracrossthepaddocks。
Itwasstrangetohearalltheoldnames，onaMaynight，amongthehorsesandcamelsoftheSultanCaravanseraiThenthemanseemedtorememberhimselfandsoberdownatthesametimeHeleanedagainstthecamelandpointedtoacorneroftheSeraiwherealampwasburning：——
“Ilivethere。”saidhe，“andIshouldbeextremelyobligedifyouwouldbegoodenoughtohelpmymutinousfeetthither；forIammorethanusuallydrunk——most——mostphenomenallytightButnotinrespecttomyhead’Mybraincriesoutagainst’——howdoesitgo？
Butmyheadridesonthe——rollsonthedung-hillIshouldhavesaid，andcontrolsthequalm。”
Ihelpedhimthroughthegangsoftetheredhorsesandhecollapsedontheedgeoftheverandahinfrontofthelineofnativequarters。
“Thanks——athousandthanks！OMoonandlittle，littleStars！TothinkthatamanshouldsoshamelesslyInfamousliquor，tooOvidinexiledranknoworseBetterItwasfrozenAlas！
IhadnoiceGood-nightIwouldintroduceyoutomywifewereI
sober——orshecivilized。”
Anativewomancameoutofthedarknessoftheroom，andbegancallingthemannames；soIwentawayHewasthemostinterestingloaferthatIhadthepleasureofknowingforalongtime；andlateron，hebecameafriendofmineHewasatall，well-built，fairmanfearfullyshakenwithdrink，andhelookednearerfiftythanthethirty-fivewhich，hesaid，washisrealageWhenamanbeginstosinkinIndia，andisnotsentHomebyhisfriendsassoonasmaybe，hefallsverylowfromarespectablepointofviewBythetimethathechangeshiscreed，asdidMcIntosh，heispastredemption。
Inmostbigcities，nativeswilltellyouoftwoorthreeSahibs，generallylow-caste，whohaveturnedHinduorMussulman，andwholivemoreorlessassuchButitisnotoftenthatyoucangettoknowthemAsMcIntoshhimselfusedtosay：——“IfIchangemyreligionformystomach’ssake，Idonotseektobecomeamartyrtomissionaries，noramIanxiousfornotoriety。”
AttheoutsetofacquaintanceMcIntoshwarnedme“Rememberthis。
IamnotanobjectforcharityIrequireneitheryourmoney，yourfood，noryourcast-offraimentIamthatrareanimal，aself-
supportingdrunkardIfyouchoose，Iwillsmokewithyou，forthetobaccoofthebazarsdoesnot，Iadmit，suitmypalate；andIwillborrowanybookswhichyoumaynotspeciallyvalueItismorethanlikelythatIshallsellthemforbottlesofexcessivelyfilthycountry-liquorsInreturn，youshallsharesuchhospitalityasmyhouseaffordsHereisacharpoyonwhichtwocansit，anditispossiblethattheremay，fromtimetotime，befoodinthatplatter。
Drink，unfortunately，youwillfindonthepremisesatanyhour：
andthusImakeyouwelcometoallmypoorestablishments。”
IwasadmittedtotheMcIntoshhousehold——Iandmygoodtobacco。
ButnothingelseUnluckily，onecannotvisitaloaferintheSeraibydayFriendsbuyinghorseswouldnotunderstandit。
Consequently，IwasobligedtoseeMcIntoshafterdarkHelaughedatthis，andsaidsimply：——“YouareperfectlyrightWhenIenjoyedapositioninsociety，ratherhigherthanyours，Ishouldhavedoneexactlythesamething，GoodHeavens！Iwasonce“——hespokeasthoughhehadfallenfromtheCommandofaRegiment——“anOxfordMan！”ThisaccountedforthereferencetoCharleySymonds’
stable。
“You。”saidMcIntosh，slowly，“havenothadthatadvantage；but，tooutwardappearance，youdonotseempossessedofacravingforstrongdrinksOnthewhole，IfancythatyouaretheluckierofthetwoYetIamnotcertainYouare——forgivemysayingsoevenwhileIamsmokingyourexcellenttobacco——painfullyignorantofmanythings。”
Weweresittingtogetherontheedgeofhisbedstead，forheownednochairs，watchingthehorsesbeingwateredforthenight，whilethenativewomanwaspreparingdinnerIdidnotlikebeingpatronizedbyaloafer，butIwashisguestforthetimebeing，thoughheownedonlyoneverytornalpaca-coatandapairoftrousersmadeoutofgunny-bagsHetookthepipeoutofhismouth，andwentonjudicially：——“Allthingsconsidered，IdoubtwhetheryouaretheluckierIdonotrefertoyourextremelylimitedclassicalattainments，oryourexcruciatingquantities，buttoyourgrossignoranceofmattersmoreimmediatelyunderyournoticeThatforinstance。”——HepointedtoawomancleaningasamovarnearthewellinthecentreoftheSeraiShewasflickingthewateroutofthespoutinregularcadencedjerks。
“TherearewaysandwaysofcleaningsamovarsIfyouknewwhyshewasdoingherworkinthatparticularfashion，youwouldknowwhattheSpanishMonkmeantwhenhesaid——
’ItheTrinityillustrate，Drinkingwateredorange-pulp——
InthreesipstheAryanfrustrate，Whilehedrainshisatonegulp——’
andmanyotherthingswhichnowarehiddenfromyoureyes。
However，MrsMcIntoshhasprepareddinnerLetuscomeandeatafterthefashionofthepeopleofthecountry——ofwhom，bytheway，youknownothing。”
ThenativewomandippedherhandinthedishwithusThiswaswrongThewifeshouldalwayswaituntilthehusbandhaseaten。
McIntoshJellaludinapologized，saying：——
“ItisanEnglishprejudicewhichIhavenotbeenabletoovercome；
andshelovesmeWhy，IhaveneverbeenabletounderstandI
fore-gatheredwithheratJullundur，threeyearsago，andshehasremainedwithmeeversinceIbelievehertobemoral，andknowhertobeskilledincookery。”
Hepattedthewoman’sheadashespoke，andshecooedsoftly。
Shewasnotprettytolookat。
McIntoshnevertoldmewhatpositionhehadheldbeforehisfall。
Hewas，whensober，ascholarandagentlemanWhendrunk，hewasrathermoreofthefirstthanthesecondHeusedtogetdrunkaboutonceaweekfortwodaysOnthoseoccasionsthenativewomantendedhimwhileheravedinalltonguesexcepthisownOneday，indeed，hebeganrecitingAtalantainCalydon，andwentthroughittotheend，beatingtimetotheswingoftheversewithabedstead-
legButhedidmostofhisravingsinGreekorGermanTheman’smindwasaperfectrag-bagofuselessthingsOnce，whenhewasbeginningtogetsober，hetoldmethatIwastheonlyrationalbeingintheInfernointowhichhehaddescended——aVirgilintheShades，hesaid——andthat，inreturnformytobacco，hewould，beforehedied，givemethematerialsofanewInfernothatshouldmakemegreaterthanDanteThenhefellasleeponahorse-blanketandwokeupquitecalm。
“Man。”saidhe，“whenyouhavereachedtheuttermostdepthsofdegradation，littleincidentswhichwouldvexahigherlife，aretoyouofnoconsequenceLastnight，mysoulwasamongthegods；
butImakenodoubtthatmybestialbodywaswrithingdownhereinthegarbage。”
“Youwereabominablydrunkifthat’swhatyoumean。”Isaid。
“IWASdrunk——filthydrunkIwhoamthesonofamanwithwhomyouhavenoconcern——IwhowasonceFellowofaCollegewhosebuttery-
hatchyouhavenotseenIwasloathsomelydrunkButconsiderhowlightlyIamtouchedItisnothingtomeLessthannothing；forIdonotevenfeeltheheadachewhichshouldbemyportionNow，inahigherlife，howghastlywouldhavebeenmypunishment，howbittermyrepentance！Believeme，myfriendwiththeneglectededucation，thehighestisasthelowest——alwayssupposingeachdegreeextreme。”
Heturnedroundontheblanket，puthisheadbetweenhisfistsandcontinued：——
“OntheSoulwhichIhavelostandontheConsciencewhichIhavekilled，ItellyouthatICANNOTfeel！Iamasthegods，knowinggoodandevil，butuntouchedbyeitherIsthisenviableorisitnot？”
Whenamanhaslostthewarningof“nextmorning’shead。”hemustbeinabadstate，Ianswered，lookingatMcIntoshontheblanket，withhishairoverhiseyesandhislipsblue-white，thatIdidnotthinktheinsensibilitygoodenough。