I noticed, as he asked me to sit down, that his express
ion looked more composed, though the paleness had not yet left
his face. He thanked me for coming; repeated that he had
something very important to say to me; and then stopped short,
apparently too much embarrassed to proceed. I tried to set him at
his ease by assuring him that, if my assistance or advice could
be of any use, I was ready to place myself and my time heartily
and unreservedly at his service.
As I said this I saw his eyes beginning to wander away from my
face--to wander slowly, inch by inch, as it were, until they
stopped at a certain point, with the same fixed stare into
vacancy which had so often startled me on former occasions. The
whole expression of his face altered as I had never yet seen it
alter; he sat before me looking like a man in a death-trance.
"You are very kind," he said, slowly and faintly, speaking, not
to me, but in the direction in which his eyes were still fixed.
"I know you can help me; but--"
He stopped; his face whitened horribly, and the perspiration
broke out all over it. He tried to continue--said a word or
two--then stopped again. Seriously alarmed about him, I rose from
my chair with the intention of getting him some water from a jug
which I saw standing on a side-table.
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