The Argosy — page 55: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Our First Term at Oxford. 45 The one was Tod and his dangerous infatuation; the other, poor dying Charley Tasson. Tod was losing frightfully at those card-tables. Night after night it went on. Tod's steps were drawn thither by a fas- cination irresistible : and whether the cards or their mistress were the more subtle potion for him, or what was to be the ending of it all, no living being could tell. As to Stagg’s Entry, my visits to it had grown nearly as much into a habit as Tod’s had to High Street. When I stayed away fora night. little Nanny would whisper to me the next that Charley had not taken his eyes off the door. Sick people always like to see visitors. “Don’t let him want for anything, Johnny,” said Tod. ‘The Pater would blow us up.” The time ran on, and the sands of Charley’s life ran with it. One Wednesday evening upon going in late, and not having many minutes to stay, I found him on the bed in a dead faint, and the candle guttering in the socket. Nanny was nowhere. I went across the passage to Mrs. Cann’s, and she was nowhere. It was an awkward situation ; for I declare that for the moment I thought he was gone. Knowing most of Nanny’s household secrets, I looked in the candle- hox for a fresh candle. Charley was stirring then, and I gave him some wine. He had had a similar fainting fit at midday, he said, which had frightened them, and Nanny had fetched the doctor. She was gone now, he supposed, to fetch some medicine. . “‘ Ts this the end, sir?” He asked it quitecalmly. I could not tell: but to judge by his wan face I thought it might be. And my time was up and more than up: and neither Nanny nor Mrs. Canncame. The wine revived him and he seemed better; quite well again: well, for him. But I did not like to leave him alone. ‘Would you mind reading to me, sir?” he asked. ‘What shall I read, Charley ?” ‘Tt may be for the last time, sir. I’d like to hear the service for the burial of the dead.” So I read it every word, the long lesson, and all. Nanny came in before it was finished, medicine in hand, and sat down in silence with her bonnet on. She had been kept at the doctor's. Mrs. Cann ‘was the next to make her appearance, having been abroad on some business of her own : and I got away when it was close upon midnight. “Your name and college, sir.” “Ludlow. Christchurch.” It was the proctor. He had pounced full upon me as I was racing home. And the clocks were striking twelve ! “ Ludlow-——Christchurch,” he repeated, nodding his head. ‘‘T am sorry to be out so late, sir, and break rules, but I could not —_) help it. I have been sitting with a sick man.” comichooks