Henry instantly consented to wait in the room.

He shrank from facing the inevitable meeting with Agnes if he showed himself in the corridor at that moment.
The manager hastened his departure, in the hope of escaping notice.

He was discovered by his guests before he could reach the head of the stairs.

Henry heard the voices plainly as he turned the key.

While the terrible drama of discovery was in progress on one side of the door, trivial questions about the amusements of Venice, and facetious discussions on the relative merits of French and Italian cookery, were proceeding on the other.