INERROR。
　　Theyburntacorpseuponthesand——
　　Thelightshoneoutafar；
　　ItguidedhometheplungingboatsThatbeatfromZanzibar。
　　SpiritofFire，where’erThyaltarsrise。
　　ThouartLightofGuidancetooureyes！
　　SalsetteBoat-Song。
　　Thereishopeforamanwhogetspubliclyandriotouslydrunkmoreoftenthatheoughttodo；butthereisnohopeforthemanwhodrinkssecretlyandaloneinhisownhouse——themanwhoisneverseentodrink。
　　Thisisarule；sotheremustbeanexceptiontoproveit。
　　Moriarty’scasewasthatexception。
　　HewasaCivilEngineer，andtheGovernment，verykindly，puthimquitebyhimselfinanout-district，withnobodybutnativestotalktoandagreatdealofworktodoHedidhisworkwellinthefouryearshewasutterlyalone；buthepickeduptheviceofsecretandsolitarydrinking，andcameupoutofthewildernessmoreoldandwornandhaggardthanthedead-alivelifehadanyrighttomakehim。
　　YouknowthesayingthatamanwhohasbeenaloneinthejungleformorethanayearisneverquitesaneallhislifeafterPeoplecreditedMoriarty’squeernessofmannerandmoodywaystothesolitude，andsaiditshowedhowGovernmentspoiltthefuturesofitsbestmenMoriartyhadbuilthimselftheplinthofaverygodreputationinthebridge-dam-girderlineButheknew，everynightoftheweek，thathewastakingstepstounderminethatreputationwithLLLand“Christopher“andlittlenipsofliqueurs，andfilthofthatkindHehadasoundconstitutionandagreatbrain，orelsehewouldhavebrokendownanddiedlikeasickcamelinthedistrict，asbettermenhavedonebeforehim。
　　GovernmentorderedhimtoSimlaafterhehadcomeoutofthedesert；
　　andhewentupmeaningtotryforapostthenvacantThatseason，MrsReiver——perhapsyouwillrememberher——wasintheheightofherpower，andmanymenlayunderheryokeEverythingbadthatcouldbesaidhasalreadybeensaidaboutMrsReiver，inanothertale。
　　Moriartywasheavily-builtandhandsome，veryquietandnervouslyanxioustopleasehisneighborswhenhewasn’tsunkinabrownstudyHestartedagooddealatsuddennoisesorifspokentowithoutwarning；and，whenyouwatchedhimdrinkinghisglassofwateratdinner，youcouldseethehandshakealittleButallthiswasputdowntonervousness，andthequiet，steady，“sip-sip-
　　sip，fillandsip-sip-sip，again。”thatwentoninhisownroomwhenhewasbyhimself，wasneverknownWhichwasmiraculous，seeinghoweverythinginaman’sprivatelifeispublicpropertyouthere。
　　Moriartywasdrawn，notintoMrsReiver’sset，becausetheywerenothissort，butintothepowerofMrsReiver，andhefelldowninfrontofherandmadeagoddessofherThiswasduetohiscomingfreshoutofthejungletoabigtownHecouldnotscalethingsproperlyorseewhowaswhat。
　　BecauseMrsReiverwascoldandhard，hesaidshewasstatelyanddignifiedBecauseshehadnobrains，andcouldnottalkcleverly，hesaidshewasreservedandshyMrsReivershy！Becauseshewasunworthyofhonororreverencefromanyone，hereverencedherfromadistanceanddoweredherwithallthevirtuesintheBibleandmostofthoseinShakespeare。
　　Thisbig，dark，abstractedmanwhowassonervouswhenaponycanteredbehindhim，usedtomooninthetrainofMrsReiver，blushingwithpleasurewhenshethrewawordortwohiswayHisadmirationwasstrictlyplatonic：evenotherwomensawandadmittedthisHedidnotmoveoutinSimla，soheheardnothingagainsthisidol：whichwassatisfactoryMrsReivertooknospecialnoticeofhim，beyondseeingthathewasaddedtoherlistofadmirers，andgoingforawalkwithhimnowandthen，justtoshowthathewasherproperty，claimableassuchMoriartymusthavedonemostofthetalking，forMrsReivercouldn’ttalkmuchtoamanofhisstamp；
　　andthelittleshesaidcouldnothavebeenprofitableWhatMoriartybelievedin，ashehadgoodreasonto，wasMrsReiver’sinfluenceoverhim，and，inthatbelief，sethimselfseriouslytotrytodoawaywiththevicethatonlyhehimselfknewof。
　　Hisexperienceswhilehewasfightingwithitmusthavebeenpeculiar，butheneverdescribedthemSometimeshewouldholdofffromeverythingexceptwaterforaweekThen，onarainynight，whennoonehadaskedhimouttodinner，andtherewasabigfireinhisroom，andeverythingcomfortable，hewouldsitdownandmakeabignightofitbyaddinglittleniptolittlenip，planningbigschemesofreformationmeanwhile，untilhethrewhimselfonhisbedhopelesslydrunkHesufferednextmorning。
　　Onenight，thebigcrashcameHewastroubledinhisownmindoverhisattemptstomakehimself“worthyofthefriendship“ofMrs。
　　ReiverThepasttendayshadbeenverybadones，andtheendofitallwasthathereceivedthearrearsoftwoandthree-quarteryearsofsippinginoneattackofdeliriumtremensofthesubduedkind；
　　beginningwithsuicidaldepression，goingontofitsandstartsandhysteria，andendingwithdownrightravingAshesatinachairinfrontofthefire，orwalkedupanddowntheroompickingahandkerchieftopieces，youheardwhatpoorMoriartyreallythoughtofMrsReiver，forheravedaboutherandhisownfallforthemostpart；thoughheravelledsomePWDaccountsintothesameskeinofthoughtHetalked，andtalked，andtalkedinalowdrywhispertohimself，andtherewasnostoppinghimHeseemedtoknowthattherewassomethingwrong，andtwicetriedtopullhimselftogetherandconferrationallywiththeDoctor；buthismindranoutofcontrolatonce，andhefellbacktoawhisperandthestoryofhistroublesItisterribletohearabigmanbabblinglikeachildofallthatamanusuallylocksup，andputsawayinthedeepofhisheartMoriartyreadouthisverysoulforthebenefitofanyonewhowasintheroombetweenten-thirtythatnightandtwo-forty-fivenextmorning。
　　Fromwhathesaid，onegatheredhowimmenseaninfluenceMrs。
　　Reiverheldoverhim，andhowthoroughlyhefeltforhisownlapseHiswhisperingscannot，ofcourse，beputdownhere；buttheywereveryinstructiveasshowingtheerrorsofhisestimates……
　　Whenthetroublewasover，andhisfewacquaintanceswerepityinghimforthebadattackofjungle-feverthathadsopulledhimdown，MoriartysworeabigoathtohimselfandwentabroadagainwithMrs。
　　Reivertilltheendoftheseason，adoringherinaquietanddeferentialwayasanangelfromheavenLateronhetooktoriding——nothacking，buthonestriding——whichwasgoodproofthathewasimproving，andyoucouldslamdoorsbehindhimwithouthisjumpingtohisfeetwithagaspThat，again，washopeful。
　　Howhekepthisoath，andwhatitcosthiminthebeginning，nobodyknowsHecertainlymanagedtocompassthehardestthingthatamanwhohasdrankheavilycandoHetookhispegandwineatdinner，butheneverdrankalone，andneverletwhathedrankhavetheleastholdonhim。
　　Oncehetoldabosom-friendthestoryofhisgreattrouble，andhowthe“influenceofapurehonestwoman，andanangelaswell“hadsavedhimWhentheman——startledatanythinggoodbeinglaidtoMrsReiver’sdoor——laughed，itcosthimMoriarty’sfriendship。
　　Moriarty，whoismarriednowtoawomantenthousandtimesbetterthanMrsReiver——awomanwhobelievesthatthereisnomanonearthasgoodandcleverasherhusband——willgodowntohisgravevowingandprotestingthatMrsReiversavedhimfromruininbothworlds。
　　ThatsheknewanythingofMoriarty’sweaknessnobodybelievedforamomentThatshewouldhavecuthimdead，thrownhimover，andacquaintedallherfriendswithherdiscovery，ifshehadknownofit，nobodywhoknewherdoubtedforaninstant。
　　Moriartythoughthersomethingsheneverwas，andinthatbeliefsavedhimselfWhichwasjustasgoodasthoughshehadbeeneverythingthathehadimagined。
　　Butthequestionis，whatclaimwillMrsReiverhavetothecreditofMoriarty’ssalvation，whenherdayofreckoningcomes？
　　ABANKFRAUD。
　　Hedrankstrongwatersandhisspeechwascoarse；
　　Hepurchasedraimentandforeboretopay；
　　Hestruckatrustingjuniorwithahorse，AndwonGymkhanasinadoubtfulway。
　　Then，’twixtaviceandfolly，turnedasideTodogooddeedsandstraighttocloakthem，lied。
　　THEMESSROOM。
　　IfReggieBurkewereinIndianow，hewouldresentthistalebeingtold；butasheisinHong-Kongandwon’tseeit，thetellingissafeHewasthemanwhoworkedthebigfraudontheSindandSialkoteBankHewasmanagerofanup-countryBranch，andasoundpracticalmanwithalargeexperienceofnativeloanandinsuranceworkHecouldcombinethefrivolitiesofordinarylifewithhiswork，andyetdowellReggieBurkerodeanythingthatwouldlethimgetup，dancedasneatlyasherode，andwaswantedforeverysortofamusementintheStation。
　　Ashesaidhimself，andasmanymenfoundoutrathertotheirsurprise，thereweretwoBurkes，bothverymuchatyourservice。
　　“ReggieBurke。”betweenfourandten，readyforanythingfromahot-
　　weathergymkhanatoariding-picnic；and，betweentenandfour，“Mr。
　　ReginaldBurke，ManageroftheSindandSialkoteBranchBank。”
　　Youmightplaypolowithhimoneafternoonandhearhimexpresshisopinionswhenamancrossed；andyoumightcallonhimnextmorningtoraiseatwo-thousandrupeeloanonafivehundredpoundinsurance-policy，eightypoundspaidinpremiumsHewouldrecognizeyou，butyouwouldhavesometroubleinrecognizinghim。
　　TheDirectorsoftheBank——ithaditsheadquartersinCalcuttaanditsGeneralManager’swordcarriedweightwiththeGovernment——
　　pickedtheirmenwellTheyhadtestedReggieuptoafairlyseverebreaking-strainTheytrustedhimjustasmuchasDirectorsevertrustManagersYoumustseeforyourselfwhethertheirtrustwasmisplaced。
　　Reggie’sBranchwasinabigStation，andworkedwiththeusualstaff——oneManager，oneAccountant，bothEnglish，aCashier，andahordeofnativeclerks；besidesthePolicepatrolatnightsoutside。
　　Thebulkofitswork，foritwasinathrivingdistrict，washoondiandaccommodationofallkindsAfoolhasnogripofthissortofbusiness；andaclevermanwhodoesnotgoaboutamonghisclients，andknowmorethanalittleoftheiraffairs，isworsethanafool。
　　Reggiewasyoung-looking，clean-shaved，withatwinkleinhiseye，andaheadthatnothingshortofagallonoftheGunners’Madeiracouldmakeanyimpressionon。
　　Oneday，atabigdinner，heannouncedcasuallythattheDirectorshadshiftedontohimaNaturalCuriosity，fromEngland，intheAccountantlineHewasperfectlycorrectMrSilasRiley，Accountant，wasaMOSTcuriousanimal——along，gawky，rawbonedYorkshireman，fullofthesavageself-conceitthatblossom’sonlyinthebestcountyinEnglandArrogancewasamildwordforthementalattitudeofMrSRileyHehadworkedhimselfup，aftersevenyears，toaCashier’spositioninaHuddersfieldBank；andallhisexperiencelayamongthefactoriesoftheNorthPerhapshewouldhavedonebetterontheBombayside，wheretheyarehappywithone-halfpercentprofits，andmoneyischeapHewasuselessforUpperIndiaandawheatProvince，whereamanwantsalargeheadandatouchofimaginationifheistoturnoutasatisfactorybalance-
　　sheet。
　　Hewaswonderfullynarrow-mindedinbusiness，and，beingnewtothecountry，hadnonotionthatIndianbankingistotallydistinctfromHomeworkLikemostcleverself-mademen，hehadmuchsimplicityinhisnature；and，somehoworother，hadconstruedtheordinarilypolitetermsofhisletterofengagementintoabeliefthattheDirectorshadchosenhimonaccountofhisspecialandbrillianttalents，andthattheysetgreatstorebyhimThisnotiongrewandcrystallized；thusaddingtohisnaturalNorth-countryconceit。
　　Further，hewasdelicate，sufferedfromsometroubleinhischest，andwasshortinhistemper。