From the direction of the house not a sound reached him.

He went cautiously forward.

At the bend of an avenue suddenly the whole house confronted him with its dark face; in two upstair-windows only a light was shining.

In Lisa's room behind the white curtain a candle was burning, and in Marfa Timofyevna's bedroom a lamp shone with red-fire before the holy picture, and was reflected with equal brilliance on the gold frame.

Below, the door on to the balcony gaped wide open.