"Splendid," said Carminow; "there's just one moment, when the hangman
pulls on the legs, to make sure, you understand--and the face swells
till it looks as though it would burst the white cap pulled over it, for
all the world like a boiling pudding.... And you see the cawotid artewy
become suffused with a blue bwuise--"

"Cobalt and a touch of _garance_," threw in Killigrew.

"Shut up, Carminow," said Ishmael; "we've not had our drinks yet if you
have." He was rather proud of this, which sounded to him to have quite a
man-about-town twang, and he knew it must have been successful when he
saw his companions pass it without ribald comment.

"Let's all have dinner," said Killigrew exuberantly, "and then go on to
see the new ballet. What d'you say, Carminow?"

Carminow was quite willing, his appointment not being till early next
morning, and the three went off to the "Cheshire Cheese," where
Killigrew drew portraits of Dr. Johnson on the tablecloth and placated
the head-waiter by telling him how famous he, Killigrew, was going to be
and how valuable the tablecloth would consequently be in fifty years'
time. Ishmael enjoyed that dinner. He was unused to stimulants, but
having a naturally good head was delightfully sharpened in sense and
appreciation by them, while his stronger stomach did not pay him back
next day as Killigrew's invariably did. Carminow was full of stories,
all, needless to say, of a sanguinary nature; Killigrew capped them, or
tried to, by would-be immoral tales of Paris; and Ishmael said very
little, but, with his deadly clarity of vision for once working
beneficently, sat there aware how young and somehow rather lovable they