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The party's dragoman proffered a cup of coffee and a cigarette. The former was excellent, the latter, after one puff, Jill extinguished on the floor, for she knew tobacco when she smoked it, and guessed at hasheesh without having to look at the slightly brightened eyes of those who sat smoking the same brand around her. Then she glanced curiously round the room.
Her lips parted, but only her mute eyes asked their startled questions. Hurriedly, shamefacedly, with angry resentments and self-justifications, he was pouring a flood of broken phrases at her. She caught unintelligible references to narrow laws and the imbecile English, to impositions binding only upon the fools.... And then the word hasheesh. Sharply then the truth took its outlines.
They had a great time at the club, I remember, when he came of age and came into possession of his patrimony a trifle of half a million, I believe. He gave a dinner, and there was such a time as the Hasheesh Club never saw before nor since. I fear there was overmuch wine-drinking, and I am sure there was a fearful amount of punch drunk.
The sea, too, although it reeled slightly, unsteadily rising only to fall away, what a radiance of color it maintained! Here in the garden the drowsy air would lift a flower petal, as some dreamer sunk in hasheesh slumber might touch a loved hand, only to let it slip away in nerveless impotence.
If I have unfortunately failed in my design, and have but awakened that restless curiosity which I have endeavored to forestall, let me beg all who are thereby led to repeat the experiment upon themselves, that they be content to take the portion of hasheesh which is considered sufficient for one man, and not, like me, swallow enough for six. A Dissertation on Bathing and Bodies.
Hash and I do not mean by this word a corruption of hasheesh is a term indicating in America a food formed of more than one article chopped and cooked together. This was an American "dinner joke," of which more anon; nevertheless, hash represents the American people of to-day.
And this accursed business of the hasheesh had served his ends. To-night, he had come with his proofs.... "So you see," muttered Tewfick Pasha, "what the devil of a serious business this is. And how any talk of of unreadiness if you were not amiable, for example, to his cousin when she calls upon you might serve to anger him.... And so " Significantly his glance met hers. Her eyes fell, stricken.
"By Jove, it's a joke on us, and a smart one, if it's been turned into a hasheesh den, under our noses. But it must be something new, or we should have got onto it.
To Charley, as he looked round on them, this was a far grander moment than when, one week before, he had presided over the gay company at the Hasheesh. Here were good cheer, laughter, funny stories, and a New-Year's Eve worth the having. The gray eyes of the portrait over the antique mantel-piece seemed happy and satisfied.
As near as I can judge, this must have been three o'clock in the morning, rather more than five hours after the hasheesh began to take effect. I lay thus all the following day and night, in a state of gray, blank oblivion, broken only by a single wandering gleam of consciousness. I recollect hearing Francois' voice.
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