He sat down across the top step of the stairs with his back propped against the passage wall.

Facing him was the door of Clementina's room, on his left hand the passage with the oil lamp burning on a bracket, stretched to the house-wall; on his right the stairs descended straight for some steps, then turned to the left and ran down still within view to a point where again they turned outwards into the courtyard.

Wogan saw to the priming of his pistols and laid them beside him.

He looked out to his right over the low-roofed buildings opposite, and saw the black mountains with their glimmering crests, and just above one spur a star which flashed with a particular brightness.

He was very tired and very cold; he drew his cloak about him; he leaned back against the wall and watched that star.