For three days, now, as far as I can tell, he has not closed his eyes.

It might be assumed that he is in a state of trance, but by a series of careful experiments, I have ascertained that he is constantly thinking in the most vigourous fashion.
"What does it mean?
There is in the man a flame-like quality; something is burning in him every instant.

But on what does the flame feed?
I know that material cannot be created and that energy means dissolution of matter: but why does not the life of Joseph Cumberland dissolve?
"The subject possesses me.

I dare not ponder it too steadily or my brain begins to whirl.

I make no progress towards any reasonable solution.