Without doubt they had gone to bed, for no shadows passed across the window, and the bright streak gleamed as motionless as the light of a night lamp.

With his eyes still uplifted he began forming a plan; he would ring the bell, go upstairs despite the porter's remonstrances, break the doors in with a push of his shoulder and fall upon them in the very bed without giving them time to unlace their arms.

For one moment the thought that he had no weapon upon him gave him pause, but directly afterward he decided to throttle them.

He returned to the consideration of his project, and he perfected it while waiting for some sign, some indication, which should bring certainty with it.
Had a woman's shadow only shown itself at that moment he would have rung.

But the thought that perhaps he was deceiving himself froze him.
How could he be certain?
Doubts began to return.