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Bobemptiedthesecondtumblerofbrandyasthoughitwerewater。
Ibelievehewouldemptyahogsheadwithoutturningahair！Thenhegaveanotherlookatthepipe。Then，takingamatchfromhiswaistcoatpocket，hedrewalongbreath，asthoughhewereresigninghimselftofate。Strikingthematchontheseatofhistrousers，while，shadedbyhishand，theflamewasgatheringstrength，helookedateachofusinturn。WhenhelookedatTressIdistinctlysawhimwinkhiseye。WhatmyfeelingswouldhavebeenifaservantofminehadwinkedhiseyeatmeIamunabletoimagine！Thematchwasappliedtothetobacco，apuffofsmokecamethroughhislips——thepipewasalight！
Duringthisprocessoflightingthepipewehadsat——Idonotwishtouseexaggeratedlanguage，butwehadsatandwatchedthatalcoholicscamp’sproceedingsasthoughwewerewitnessinganactionwhichwouldleaveitsmarkupontheage。Whenwesawthepipewaslightedwegaveasimultaneousstart。Brasherputhishandsunderhiscoattailsandgaveakindofhop。Iraisedmyselfagoodsixinchesfrommychair，andTressrubbedhispalmstogetherwithachuckle。Bobalonewascalm。
“Now，“criedTress，“you’llseethedevilmoving。“
Bobtookthepipefrombetweenhislips。
“Seewhat？“hesaid。
“Bob，yourascal，putthatpipebackintoyourmouth，andsmokeitforyourlife！“
Bobwaseyingthepipeaskance。
“Idaresay，butwhatIwanttoknowiswhetherthisherevarmint’sdeadorwhetherheisn’t。Idon’twanttohavehimflyingatmynose——andhelooksviciousenoughforanything。“
“Givemebackthatpound，youthief，andgetoutofmyhouse，andbundle。“
“Iain’tgoingtogiveyoubacknopound。“
“Thensmokethatpipe！“
“Iamsmokingit，ain’tI？“
WiththeutmostdeliberationBobreturnedthepipetohismouth。
Heemittedanotherwhiffortwoofsmoke。
“Now——now！“criedTress，allexcitement，andwagginghishandintheair。
Wegatheredround。AswedidsoBobagainwithdrewthepipe。
“Whatisthemeaningofallthishere？Iain’tgoingtohaveyouplayingnoneofyourlarksonme。Iknowthere’ssomethingup，butIain’tgoingtothrowmylifeawayfortwentyshillings——notquiteIain’t。“
Tress，whosetemperisnotatanytimeoneofthebest，wasseizedwithquiteaspasmofrage。
“AsIlive，mylad，ifyoutrytocheatmebytakingthatpipefrombetweenyourlipsuntilItellyou，youleavethisroomthatinstant，neveragaintobeaservantofmine。“
Ipresumethefellowknewfromlongexperiencewhenhismastermeantwhathesaid，andwhenhedidn’t。Withoutanattemptatremonstrancehereplacedthepipe。Hecontinuedstolidlytopuffaway。Tresscaughtmebythearm。
“WhatdidItellyou？There——there！Thattentacleismoving。“
TheupliftedtentacleWASmoving。ItwasdoingwhatIhadseenitdo，asIsupposed，inmydistortedimagination——itwasreachingforward。UndoubtedlyBobsawwhatitwasdoing；but，whetherinobediencetohismaster’scommands，orwhetherbecausethedrugwasalreadybeginningtotakeeffect，hemadenomovementtowithdrawthepipe。Hewatchedtheslowlyadvancingtentacle，comingcloserandclosertowardhisnose，withanexpressionofsuchintensehorroronhiscountenancethatitbecamequiteshocking。Fartherandfartherthecreaturereachedforward，untilonasudden，withasortofjerk，themovementassumedadownwarddirection，andthetentaclewasslowlylowereduntilthetiprestedonthestemofthepipe。Foramomentthecreatureremainedmotionless。Iwasquietingmynerveswiththereflectionthatthisthingwasbutsometrickofthecarver’sart，andthatwhatwehadseenwehadseeninasortofnightmare，whenthewholehideousreptilewasseizedwithwhatseemedtobeafitofconvulsiveshuddering。Itseemedtobeinagony。IttrembledsoviolentlythatIexpect
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