Towards eight o'clock we both felt the false craving for food which is
produced by alcohol, and we clamoured for dinner. Dinner under such
circumstances produces a delusive feeling of sobriety, and men think
that they have killed the alcohol; but the stuff is still there, and
every molecule of it is ready, as it were, to explode and fly through
the blood when a fresh draught is added. At eleven o'clock we were at
cards with Mr. Coney. At one we went out to admire the moon, and though
one of us saw two moons, he felt a dull pain at the heart as he
remembered days long ago, when the pale splendour brought gladness. When
we had solemnly decided that it was a fine night, we went back to our
reeking room again, and pursued our conversation on the principle that
each man should select his own subject and try to howl down the other
two. This exercise soon palled on us, and one by one we sank to sleep.
The clear light was pouring in when I woke, but the very sight of the
straight beams made me doleful.
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