She pressed it, and waved out of the window as the car drove off.

And no sooner was it in motion than he cursed himself for a fool.

Yet he knew why he had done as he had, there, in the middle of the town.

He knew that he feared she would kiss him again--as before.
Not noticing where he went, he set off through the streets, making, unconsciously almost, for the sea, and the dark boulevards that led from the gaily lit centre of the city towards it.

He walked slowly, his mind a chaos of thoughts, and so ran into a curious adventure.
As he passed a side-street he heard a man's uneven steps on the pavement, a girl's voice, a curse, and the sound of a fall.