1922 · CLOSE READING
Diary of a Drug Fiend
Diary of a Drug Fiend (1922), PDF p. 219
Original page
Enlarge ↗
Highlights use the original PDF text layer. OCR-only matches may not be visible on the scan.
Transcription
Download text ↓raw extractionoriginal embedded textReview: unreviewed
CHAPTER V
TOWARDS MADNESS
I Frounp I was attracting attention in the street by
my nervous behaviour. I shuddered at the sight of a
policeman. Suppose I were arrested, and they took
it away from me?
And then I remembered how silly I was. Maisie
Jacobs had a flat in Park Mansions. I knew she would
stand for anything, and keep her mouth shut.
She was in, thank goodness. I don’t know what
tale I told her. I don’t know why I was stupid enough
to trouble my head to invent one. She's a real good
sport, Maisie, and doesn’t care what you do as long
as you don’t interfere with her.
She had some white silk, and we sewed up the H.
in little packets, and stitched them in the flounces of
my dress. I kept about half, and put it in an old
envelope she had. That was to make my peace with
Peter. But I needed two or three good goes on the spot.
I had a fit of hysterical crying and trembling. I
must have fainted for a bit. I found myself on the sofa
with Maisie kneeling by me and holding a glass of
champagne to my lips.
She didn’t ask any questions. It wasn’t her business
if my story was all lies.
I felt a bit better after a while. She began to talk
about King Lamus. She had fallen for him the first
time she met him, about a year ago, and had become
an enthusiastic pupil. She could do what she liked;
she was free, plenty of money of her own, no one to
interfere.
In a way, I hated her for her independence. It was
really envy of her freedom.
205
Page provenance & review flags
Stable page ID: d7f070f297cca59c9cea12ce:p00219
Line breaks are preserved. Reading order and OCR accuracy may need review.
Printed page label has not been verified.
- No automated review flags. This does not establish transcription accuracy.