a cry followed ; he reeled , staggered , clutched at the table and held on , staring with injected eyes , gasping with open mouth ; and as i looked there came , i thought , a change -- he seemed to swell -- his face became suddenly black and the features seemed to melt and alter -- and the next moment , i had sprung to my feet and leaped back against the wall , my arms raised to shield me from that prodigy , my mind submerged in terror .