"I thought it was a trick of the nerves, and determined to drive it away, and I succeeded. And then, just as I was internally laughing at myself, this hand, as if groping about in the dark, was first laid on mine, full on it, Val, and then slid off onto the table and linked its little finger tightly in mine. I, of course, supposed the hand was yours, and this finger was crooked round mine for fully five minutes, I should say. After you spoke, thinking that you were trying to deceive me for a joke, I caught the hand in mine, and pinched it with all my strength until it was forcibly dragged away." "Strange," Valentine murmured. "Deucedly strange! and, what's more, diabolically unpleasant." "I wonder what that fellow, Marr, would say to this." "Marr! By Jove, is this one of the manifestations which he spoke about so vaguely?" "It seems like it." "But describe your sensations. You say you felt horribly afraid. Why was that?" "I can't tell. That, I think, made part of the horror. There was a sort of definite vagueness, if you can imagine such a seeming contradiction, in my state of mind. But the feeling is really indescribable. That it was more strange and more terrible than anything I have known is certain. I should like to ask Dr. Levillier about all this." "Levillier--yes. But he would--" "Be reasonable about it, as he is about everything. Dear, sensible, odd, saintly, emotional, strong-headed, soft-hearted little doctor. He is unique." They talked on for some time, arriving at no conclusion, until it seemed they had talked the whole matter thoroughly out. Yet Valentine, who was curiously instinctive, had, all the time, a secret knowledge that Julian was keeping something from him, was not being perfectly frank. The conviction pained him. At last Julian got up to go. He stood putting on his overcoat. "Good-night," he said. "Good-night, Julian." "Now--is this to be our last sitting?" Valentine hesitated. "What do you wish?" he asked at length. "What do you?" "Well, I--yes, I think I would rather it was the last." Julian caught his hand impulsively. "So would I. Good-night." "Good-night." Julian went out into the hall, got as far as the front door, opened it, then suddenly called out: "Valentine!" "Yes." "Come here for a moment." Valentine went, and found him standing with his hand on the door, looking flushed and rather excited. "There is one thing I haven't told you," he began. "I knew that." "I guessed you did. The most horrible sensation I have had. During our sitting to-night--don't be vexed--an extraordinary apprehension of--well, of you, came over me. There! Now I have told you." Valentine was greatly astonished. "Of me?" he said. "Yes. There was a moment when the idea that I was alone with you made my blood run cold." "Good heavens!" "Do you wish I hadn't told you?" "No, of course not. But it is so extraordinary, so unnatural."