That was all.

And Martin sighed deeply and said to himself "Not yet.

I must go on waiting," and went upstairs to his bedroom.

He could hear Irene's voice above the rush of water in the bathroom and Howard's, outside, raised in song.

In the trees outside his window a bird was piping to its mate, and in the damp places here and there the frogs had already begun to try their voices for their community chorus.