I found that in most essentials the two stories were identical, although Gedge had been maudlin drunk when he admitted Randall into his confidence.
"But in pitching you his yarn," cried Randall, "he left out the blackmail.

He bragged in his beastly way that Colonel Boyce was worth a thousand a year to him.

All he had to live upon now that the blood-suckers had ruined his business.

Then he began to weep and slobber--he was a disgusting sight--and he said he would give it all up and beg with his daughter in the streets as soon as he had an opportunity of unmasking 'that shocking wicked fellow.'" "What did you say then ?" I asked.
"I told him if ever I heard of him spreading such infernal lies abroad, I'd wring his neck." "Very good, my boy," said I."That's practically what Sir Anthony told him." "Sir Anthony doesn't believe there's any truth in it ?" "Sir Anthony," said I, boldly, "knows there's not a particle of truth in it.

The man's malignancy has taken the form of a fixed idea.