Suddenly he heard two voices in rapid conversation.

He caught one sentence: "Don't lose the key." It was the landlady's voice.

The door facing the sea was opened and locked again.

Then all was still.
Raoul ran back to his room and threw back the window.

Christine's white form stood on the deserted quay.
The first floor of the Setting Sun was at no great height and a tree growing against the wall held out its branches to Raoul's impatient arms and enabled him to climb down unknown to the landlady.