Soon after ten o'clock it became unbearable.

He found himself longing for company, the loneliness of his little room since the departure of Beatrice had never seemed so real a thing.

He stood it as long as he could and then, catching up his hat and stick, he set his face eastwards, walking vigorously, and with frequent glances at the clocks he passed.
A few minutes past eleven o'clock, he found himself once more in that dark thoroughfare at the back of the theatre.

The lamp over the stage-door was flickering in the same uncertain manner, the same motor-cars were there, the same crowd of young men, except that each night they seemed to grow larger.

This time he had a few minutes only to wait.