All the suspicions I had ever heard whispered against his sanity flashed over my mind in an instant, and I involuntarily stepped back a pace or two.
"Stop," he said, seating himself again; "don't mind me; and don't leave your chair.

I want--I wish, if you please, to make a little alteration, before we say anything more.

Do you mind sitting in a strong light ?" "Not in the least." I had hitherto been seated in the shade of his reading-lamp, the only light in the room.
As I answered him he rose again, and, going into another apartment, returned with a large lamp in his hand; then took two candles from the side-table, and two others from the chimney piece; placed them all, to my amazement, together, so as to stand exactly between us, and then tried to light them.

His hand trembled so that he was obliged to give up the attempt, and allow me to come to his assistance.

By his direction, I took the shade off the reading-lamp after I had lit the other lamp and the four candles.