It was a dark night, but a gas-lamp showed me his face.

I recognised it in spite of the red blotches and the bleary film that hid the eyes.

I caught him roughly by the arm, and hurried him inside and up into my study.
"'Sit down,' I hissed, 'and tell me the worst first.' "He was about to select his favourite chair.

I felt that if I saw him and that particular chair in association for the third time, I should do something terrible to both.

I snatched it away from him, and he sat down heavily on the floor, and burst into tears.