That was the midday cannonade from the high castle of S.Elmo.Then cornets from the _Castello dell' Ovo_ would respond with their joyous call to the smoking _olio_, and up the stairway of the hotel would come the beating of the Chinese gong, announcing that luncheon was served.
Ulysses went down to take his place at table, looking in vain at the other guests who had preceded him.

Freya perhaps was going to come in with the delay of a traveler who has just arrived and has been occupied in freshening her toilet.
He lunched badly, looking continually at a great glass doorway decorated with pictures of boats, fishes, and sea gulls, and every time its polychromatic leaves parted, his food seemed to stick in his throat.

Finally came the end of the lunch, and he slowly sipped his coffee.

She did not appear.
On returning to his room, he sent the whiskered steward in search of news....

The _signora_ had not lunched in the hotel; the _signora_ had gone out while he was in the dining-room.