twice I missed the rough paper of the matchbox. As the mantel emerged

from darkness again, two candles in the remoter end of the room were

eclipsed. But with the same match I also relit the larger mirror

candles, and those on the floor near the doorway, so that for the moment

I seemed to gain on the extinctions. But then in a noiseless volley

there vanished four lights at once in different corners of the room, and

I struck another match in quivering haste, and stood hesitating whither

to take it.

As I stood undecided, an invisible hand seemed to sweep out the two

candles on the table. With a cry of terror I dashed at the alcove, then

into the corner and then into the window, relighting three as two more

vanished by the fireplace, and then, perceiving a better way, I dropped

matches on the iron-bound deedbox in the corner, and caught up the

bedroom candlestick. With this I avoided the delay of striking matches,

but for all that the steady process of extinction went on, and the

shadows I feared and fought against returned, and crept in upon me,

first a step gained on this side of me, then on that. I was now almost

frantic with the horror of the coming darkness, and my self-possession

deserted me. I leaped panting from candle to candle in a vain struggle

against that remorseless advance.

I bruised myself in the thigh against the table, I sent a chair

headlong, I stumbled and fell and whisked the cloth from the table in

my fall. My candle rolled away from me and I snatched another as I rose.

Abruptly this was blown out as I swung it off the table by the wind of

The Red Room