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I lifted it and read as follows:
My Friend:
When you are moved to inhale this Taduki, as certainly you will do, be careful not to use too much lest you should wander so far that you can return no more. One of the little bundles, of which I think there are thirteen remaining in the box, should be sufficient, though perhaps as you grow accustomed to the drug you may require a larger dose. Another thing for a hid den reason with which I will not trouble you, it is desirable, though not necessary, that you should have a companion in the adventure. By preference, this companion should be a woman, but a man will serve if he be one in whom you have confidence and who is sympathetic to you. L.R.
That settles it, I thought. I am not going to take Taduki with one of the housemaids, and there is no other woman about here, and I rose from my chair, preparing to put the stuff away.
At that moment, the door opened and in walked Captain Good.
Hullo, old fellow, he said. Curtis says a farmer tells him that a lot of snipe have come in onto the Brathal marshes, and he wants to know if you will come over to-morrow morning and have a go at them I say, what is this smell in the room? Have you taken to scented cigarettes or hashish?
Not quite, but, to tell you the truth, I was thinking of it, I answered, and I pointed to the open silver box.
Good, who is a person of alert mind and one very full of curiosity, advanced, sniffed at the Taduki, and examined the brazier and the box, which in his ignorance he supposed to be of Grecian workmanship. Finally, he overwhelmed me with so many questions that, at length, in self-defence, I told him something of its story and how it had been bequeathed to me with its contents by Lady Ragnall.
Indeed! said Good. She who left you the fortune which you wouldnt take, being the lineal descendant of Don Quixote, or rather of Sancho Panzas donkey. Well, this is much more exciting than money. What happened to you when you went into that trance?
Oh! I answered wearily, I seemed to foregather with a very pretty lady who lived some thousands of years ago, and after many adventures, was just about to marry her when I woke up.
How jolly! though I suppose you have been suffering from blighted affections ever since. Perhaps, if you took some more, you might pull it off next time.
I shook my head and handed him the note of instructions that I had found with the Taduki, which he read with attention, and said:
I see, Allan, that a partner is required and that failing a lady, a man in whom you have confidence and who is sympathetic to you, will serve. Obviously thats me, for in whom could you have greater confidence, and who is more sympathetic to you? Well, my boy, if theres any hope of adventures, real or imaginary, Ill take the risk and sacrifice myself upon the altar of friendship. Light up your stuff Im ready. What do you say? That I cant because I have been dining and drinking wine or whisky? Well, as a matter of fact, I havent. Ive only had some tea and a boiled egg I wont stop to explain why and intended to raise something more substantial out of you. So fire away and lets go to meet your lovely lady in ancient Egypt or anywhere else.
Look here, Good, I explained, I think there is a certain amount of risk about this stuff, and really you had better reflect
Before I rush in where angels fear to tread, eh? Well, youve done it and you aint even an angel. Also I like risks or anything that makes a change in this mill round of a life. Come on. What have we got to do?
Then, feeling that Fate was at work, under a return of the impulse of which the strength had been broken for a moment by the reading of Lady Ragnalls note of instructions, I gave way. To tell the truth, Goods unexpected arrival when such a companion was essential, and his strange willingness, and even de sire, to share in this unusual enterprise, brought on one of the fits of fatalism from which I suffer at times. I became convinced that the whole business was arranged by something or somebody beyond my ken that I must take this drug with Good as my companion. So, as I have said, I gave way and made the necessary preparations, explaining everything to Good as I did so.
I say! he said at last, just as I was fishing for an ember from the wood fire to lay upon the Taduki in the bowl, I thought this job was a joke, but you seem jolly solemn about it, Allan. Do you really think it dangerous?
Yes, I do, but more to the spirit than to the body. I think, to judge from my own experience, that anyone who has once breathed Taduki will wish to do so again. Shall we give it up? It isnt too late.
No, answered Good. I never funked anything yet, and I wont begin now. Lay on, Macduff!
So be it, Good. But first of all, listen to me. Move that armchair of yours close to mine, but not quite up against it. I am going to place the brazier just between and a little in front of us. When the stuff catches a blue flame will burn for about thirty seconds at least, this happened on a previous occasion. So soon as it dies away and you see the smoke begin to rise, bend your head forward and a little sideways so that it strikes you full in the face, but in such a fashion that, when you become insensible, the weight of your body will cause you to fall back into the chair, not outward to the floor. It is quite easy if you are careful. Then open your mouth and draw the vapour down into your lungs. Two or three breaths will suffice, as it works very quickly.
Just like laughing gas, remarked Good. I only hope I shant wake with all my teeth out. The last time I took it I felt
Stop joking, I said, for this is a serious matter.
A jolly sight too serious! Is there anything else?
No. That is, if there is anybody you particularly wish to see, you might concentrate your thoughts on him
Him! I cant think of any him, unless it is the navigating lieu tenant of my first ship, with whom I always want to have it out in the next world, as he is gone from this, the brute.
On her, then; I meant her.
Then why didnt you say so instead of indulging in pharisaic al humbug? Who would breathe poison just to meet another man?
I would, I replied firmly.
Thats a lie, muttered Good. Hullo! dont be in such a hurry with that coal, I aint ready. Ought I to say any hocus-pocus? Dash it all! it is like a nightmare about being hanged.
No, I replied, as I dropped the ember onto the Taduki just as Lady Ragnall had done. Now, play fair, Good, I added, for I dont know what the effect of half a dose would be; it might drive you mad. Look, the flame is burning! Open your mouth and arrange your weight as I said, and when your head begins to whirl, lean back at the end of the third deep breath.
The mysterious, billowy vapour arose as the pale blue flame died away, and spread itself out fanwise.
Aye, aye, my hearty, said Good, and thrust his face into it with such vigour that he brought his head into violent contact with mine, as I leant forward from the other side.
I heard him mutter some words that were better left unsaid, for often enough Goods language would have borne editing. Then I heard no more and forgot that he existed.
My mind became wonderfully clear and I found myself arguing in a fashion that would have done credit to the greatest of the Greek philosophers upon all sorts of fundamental problems. All I can remember about that argument or lecture is that, in part at any rate, it dealt with the possibility of reincarnation, setting out the pros and cons in a most vivid manner.