It was three miles away, yet he could get there in time if he hastened.

It was a wise and practical conclusion of his evening's work, a lame and impotent conclusion to his evening's indignation.

No matter.
They would perhaps at first think he had come to weakly follow them, perhaps they would at first doubt his story.

No matter.

He bit his lips to keep down the foolish rising tears, but still went blindly forward.
He saw not the beautiful night, cradled in the dark hills, swathed in luminous mists, and hushed in the awe of its own loveliness! Here and there the moon had laid her calm face on lake and overflow, and gone to sleep embracing them, until the whole plain seemed to be lifted into infinite quiet.