Then, after we had fairly started, the door was flung open by a porter, and a man was thrust in who half tumbled on to the seat.

As he slowly recovered he stood up, and as his money rolled out of his hand on to the floor, and he gazed vaguely at it, I saw to my horror that he was drunk.

The position was not pleasant, for the train was an express, and was not timed to stop for a considerable time.

My odious fellow-passenger spent some time on the floor, hunting after his scattered coins; then he slowly gathered himself up and presently became conscious of my presence.

He studied me for some time, and then proposed to shut the window.