All this
while Paton was close at hand, though not visible to sight; but I had a
sort of inner perception of his presence and movements. All at once, at
about the hour of sunset, I saw him again; he moved toward the looking-
glass at the narrow end of the room, laid his hand upon one of the
pilasters, glanced at me over his shoulder, and immediately seemed to
stoop down. As I sat, the edge of the table hid him from sight. I stood
up and looked across. He was not there; and a kind of reaction of my
nerves informed me that he was gone absolutely, for the time.
This reaction produced a lassitude impossible to describe; it was
overpowering, and I had no choice but to yield to it. I dropped back in
my chair, leaned forward on the table, and instantly fell into a heavy
sleep, or stupor.
I awoke abruptly, with a sensation as if a hand had been laid on my
shoulder. It was night, and I knew that the hour I had noted in my mind
was at hand. I opened the drawer and took out the dagger, which I put
in my pocket. The house was quite silent. A shiver passed through me.
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