"'Well,' I said, as soon as the girl had closed the door behind her, 'so
you've got rid of Smith?'
"A sickly smile passed over his face. 'You have not mentioned it to any
one?' he asked anxiously.
"'Not to a soul,' I replied; 'though I confess I often feel tempted to.'
"'I sincerely trust you never will,' he said, in a tone of alarm. 'You
can have no conception of the misery the whole thing causes me. I cannot
understand it. What possible affinity there can be between myself and
that disgusting little snob passes my comprehension. I assure you, my
dear Mac, the knowledge that I was a ghoul, or a vampire, would cause me
less nausea than the reflection that I am one and the same with that
odious little Whitechapel bounder. When I think of him every nerve in my
body--'
"'Don't think about him any more,' I interrupted, perceiving his strongly-
suppressed emotion. 'You didn't come here to talk about him, I'm sure.
Let us dismiss him.'
"'Well,' he replied, 'in a certain roundabout way it is slightly
connected with him. That is really my excuse for inflicting the subject
upon you. You are the only man I _can_ speak to about it--if I shall not
bore you?'
"'Not in the least,' I said. 'I am most interested.' As he still
hesitated, I asked him point-blank what it was.
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