With the most painstaking care and nicety, I stood the umbrella up once more, took my hand away, and down it came again.
I have been strictly reared, but if it had not been so dark and solemn and awful there in that lonely, vast room, I do believe I should have said something then which could not be put into a Sunday-school book without injuring the sale of it.

If my reasoning powers had not been already sapped dry by my harassments, I would have known better than to try to set an umbrella on end on one of those glassy German floors in the dark; it can't be done in the daytime without four failures to one success.

I had one comfort, though--Harris was yet still and silent--he had not stirred.
The umbrella could not locate me--there were four standing around the room, and all alike.

I thought I would feel along the wall and find the door in that way.

I rose up and began this operation, but raked down a picture.