es he would be about to speak,
but would, with an effort, restrain himself. I think the narration
helped me to make up my own mind; for even as I talked, things seemed
to appear in a clearer light. Things big and little, in relation of
their importance to the case, fell into proper perspective. The story
up to date became coherent, except as to its cause, which seemed a
greater mystery than ever. This is the merit of entire, or collected,
narrative. Isolated facts, doubts, suspicions, conjectures, give way
to a homogeneity which is convincing.

That Mr. Corbeck was convinced was evident. He did not go through any
process of explanation or limitation, but spoke right out at once to
the point, and fearlessly like a man:

"That settles me! There is in activity some Force that needs special
care. If we all go on working in the dark we shall get in one
another's way, and by hampering each other, undo the good that any or
each of us, working in different directions, might do. It seems to me
that the first thing we have to accomplish is to get Mr. Trelawny waked
out of that unnatural sleep. That he can be waked is apparent from the
way the Nurse has recovered; though what additional harm may have been
done to him in the time he has been lying in that room I suppose no one
can tell. We must chance that, however. He has lain there, and
whatever the effect might be, it is there now; and we have, and shall
have, to deal with it as a fact. A day more or less won't hurt in the
long-run. It is late now; and we shall probably have tomorrow a task
before us that will require our energies afresh. You, Doctor, will
want to get to your sleep; for I suppose you have other work as well as
this to do tomorrow. As for you, Mr. Ross, I understand that you are
to have a spell of watching in the sick-room tonight. I shall get you
a book which will help to pass the time for you. I shall go and look
for it in the library. I know where it was when I was here last; and I
don't suppose Mr. Trelawny has used it since. He knew long ago all
that was in it which was or might be of interest to him. But it will
be necessary, or at least helpful, to understand other things which I
shall tell you later. You will be able to tell Doctor Winchester all
that would aid him. For I take it that our work will branch out pretty
soon. We shall each have our own end to hold up; and it will take each
of us all our time and understanding to get thr