The darkness was complete, but he moved with the certainty of habit to a chair by the head of the bed, and there seated himself.

Presently he felt a painful surging in his throat, then a gush of warm tears forced its way to his eyes.

It cost him a great effort to resist the tendency to sob aloud.

He was hot and cold alternately, and trembled as though a fever were coming upon him.
In a quarter of an hour he lit the candle, and, after a glance at himself in the glass, bathed his face.

Then he took down his overcoat from the door, and put it on.