She washed the cups and some other things before she stopped in her work to listen.

No sound reached her.

The customer was a long time in the shop.

It was a customer, because if he had not been Mr Verloc would have taken him inside.

Undoing the strings of her apron with a jerk, she threw it on a chair, and walked back to the parlour slowly.
At that precise moment Mr Verloc entered from the shop.
He had gone in red.