"He had done many things in the world—he had done almost all but one: he had never, never forgotten".

Haven't read much of James but this particular story is spiritual and emotional. It's a story of a man who doesn't forget the dead, does everything he can to preserve their memory from being lost in the rush of everyday life.In doing so, he befriends a woman who turns out to be related to a friend that betrayed him and who remains devoted to this one memory, the memory the protagonist doesn't face. They drift apart and he sees more of his friends depart this world, with that one unlit candle kind of haunting him.

In the end, the story is more than about honouring the dead: it's about unselfish love and how forgiveness and love can overcome past wrongs. A beautiful, heartfelt, touching read.