"I saw such a flame to-night," Julian said. "After I heard the cry, I distinctly saw a flame come from where Valentine was sitting and float up and disappear in the darkness. And—and afterwards, when Valentine lay so still and cold, I grew to believe that flame was his soul and that I had actually seen him die in the dark."
"Imagination," Valentine said, rather abruptly. "All imagination. Wasn't it, doctor?"
"Probably," Levillier said. "Darkness certainly makes things visible that do not exist. I have patients who are perfectly sane, yet whom I forbid ever to be entirely in the dark. Remove all objects from their sight, and they immediately see non-existent things."
"You think that flame came only from my inner consciousness?" Julian asked.
"I suspect so. Shut your eyes now."
Julian did so. Doctor Levillier bent over and pressed his two forefingers hard on Julian's eyes. After a moment,
"What do you see?" he asked.
"Nothing," Julian replied.
"Wait a little longer. Now what do you see?"
"Now I see a broad ring of yellow light edged with ragged purple."