e symbols--whose
meaning, however, I could not understand--were as follows..."

Twice, whilst I had been reading this engrossing narrative, I had
thought that I had seen across the page streaks of shade, which the
weirdness of the subject had made to seem like the shadow of a hand.
On the first of these occasions I found that the illusion came from the
fringe of green silk around the lamp; but on the second I had looked
up, and my eyes had lit on the mummy hand across the room on which the
starlight was falling under the edge of the blind. It was of little
wonder that I had connected it with such a narrative; for if my eyes
told me truly, here, in this room with me, was the very hand of which
the traveller Van Huyn had written. I looked over at the bed; and it
comforted me to think that the Nurse still sat there, calm and wakeful.
At such a time, with such surrounds, during such a narrative, it was
well to have assurance of the presence of some living person.

I sat looking at the book on the table before me; and so many strange
thoughts crowded on me that my mind began to whirl. It was almost as
if the light on the white fingers in front of me was beginning to have
some hypnotic effect. All at once, all thoughts seemed to stop; and
for an instant the world and time stood still.

There lay a real hand across the book! What was there to so overcome
me, as was the case? I knew the hand that I saw on the book--and loved
it. Margaret Trelawny's hand was a joy to me to see--to touch; and yet
at that moment, coming after other marvellous things, it had a
strangely moving effect on me. It was but momentary, however, and had
passed even before her voice had reached me.

"What disturbs you? What are you staring at the book for? I thought
for an instant that you must have been overcome again!" I jumped up.

"I was reading," I said, "an old book from the library." As I spoke I
closed it and put it under my arm. "I shall now put it back, as I
understand that your Father wishes all things, especially books, kept
in their proper places." My words were intentionally misleading; for I
did not wish her to know what I was reading, and thought it best not to
wake her curiosity by leaving the book about. I went away, but not to
the library; I left the book in my room where I could get it when I had
had my sleep in the day. When I returned Nurse Kennedy was ready to go
to bed; so Miss Trelawny watched with me in the room