He sprang up at the same moment. 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. When we sat down again, with this concentration of light
between us, his better and gentler manner began to return, and
while he now addressed me he spoke without the slightest
hesitation.
"It is useless to ask whether you have heard the reports about
me," he said; "I know that you have.
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