He laughed and whistled and went often to Mrs.Light's; though Rowland knew not in what fashion present circumstances had modified his relations with Christina.

The month ebbed away and Rowland daily expected to hear from Roderick that he had gone to Leghorn to meet the ship.

He heard nothing, and late one evening, not having seen his friend in three or four days, he stopped at Roderick's lodging to assure himself that he had gone at last.

A cab was standing in the street, but as it was a couple of doors off he hardly heeded it.

The hall at the foot of the staircase was dark, like most Roman halls, and he paused in the street-doorway on hearing the advancing footstep of a person with whom he wished to avoid coming into collision.