lately felt the need of candles, albeit his house appeared to be
fully lighted by gas?

The subterfuge by which, notwithstanding my many disadvantages, I
was finally enabled to obtain unmistakable answer to this query was
the fruit of much hard thought. Perhaps I was too proud of it.
Perhaps I should have mistrusted myself more from the start. But
I was a great egotist in those days, and reckoned quite above their
inherent worth any bright ideas which I could safely call my own.

The point aimed at was this: to obtain without Moore's knowledge an
accurate impression of his finger-tips.

The task presented difficulties, but these served duly to increase
my ardor.

Confiding to the lieutenant of the precinct my great interest in
the mysterious house with whose suggestive interior I had made
myself acquainted under such tragic circumstances, I asked him as
a personal favor to obtain for me an opportunity of spending another
night there.

He was evidently surprised by the request, not cherishing, as I
suppose, any great longings himself in this direction; but
recognizing that for some reason I set great store on this
questionable privilege, - I do not think that he suspected in the
least what that reason was, - and being, as I have intimated,
favorably disposed to me, he exerted himself to such good effect
that I was formally detailed to assist in keeping watch over the
premises that very night.