Hamelwasalittlestartled。Hewithdrewthepipfromhismouthandlookedather。
“Why，ofcourse，“heremarked。“I’dforgotten。Thereisnoplaceforyoutostayhere。“
“Ishallgobacktomybrother’s。“shesaid。
Hamelputsomemoneyuponthetable。
“Pleasegetanythingthatisnecessary，“hedirected。“Ishallleaveyoutodothehousekeepingforafewdays。“
“Shallyoubestayingherelong，sir？“sheasked。
“Iamnotsure，“hereplied。
“Idonotsuppose，“shesaid，“thatyouwillstayforverylong。
Ishallgetonlythethingsthatyourequirefromdaytoday。Goodnight，sir。
Shelefttheroom。Hamellookedafterherforamomentwithafrown。
Insomeindescribableway，thewomanhalfimpressed，halfirritatedhim。Shehadalwaystheairofkeepingsomethinginthebackground。
Hefollowedheroutontothelittleridgeofbeach，afewminutesaftershehadleft。Themistwasstilldriftingabout。Onlyafewyardsawaythesearolledin，fillingtheairwithdullthunder。
Themarshlandwashalfobscured。St。David’sHallwasinvisible，butlikestrangely-hunglanternsinanemptyspacehesawthelineoflightsfromthegreathousegleamthroughtheobscurity。Therewasnosoundsavethesoundofthesea。Heshiveredslightly。Itwaslikeanemptyland，this。
Then，movedbysomeinstinctofcuriosity，hemadehiswayroundtothecloseddooroftheboat-house，onlytofindit，ashehadexpected，locked。HeshookLtslightly，withoutresult。Thenhestrolledroundtotheback，enteredhisownlittleabodebythekitchen，andtriedtheotherdoorwhichledintotheboat-house。
Itwasnotonlylocked，butastaplehadbeenputin，anditwasfastenedwithapadlockofcuriousdesignwhichhedidnotremembertohaveseentherebefore。Again，halfunconsciously，helistened，andagainhefoundthesilenceoppressive。Hewentbacktohisroom，broughtoutsomeofthebookswhichithadbeenhisintentiontostudy，andsatandreadoverthefire。
Atteno’clockhewenttobed。Ashethrewopenhiswindowbeforeundressing，itseemedtohimthathecouldcatchthesoundofvoicesfromthesea。Helistenedintently。Agreypallhungeverywhere。
Totheleft，withstrangeindistinctness，almostlikesomethinghumanstrugglingtoassertitself，camethefitfulflashfromthelightattheentrancetothetidalway。Oncemorehestrainedhisears。Thistimetherewasnodoubtaboutit。Heheardthesoundoffishermen’svoices。Heheardoneofthemsaydistinctly:
“Hardaport，Davelad！That’sFentolin’slight。Keepheroutabit。
Steady，lad！“
Throughariftinthemist，hecaughtaglimpseofthebrownsailofafishing-boat，dangerouslyneartheland。Hewatcheditalteritscourseslightlyandpasson。Thenagaintherewassilence。Heundressedslowlyandwenttobed。
Lateronhewokewithastartandsatupinbed，listeningintently，listeningforheknewnotwhat。Exceptforthebackwardscreamofthepebbles，draggeddowneveryfewsecondsbytherecedingwaves，anunbrokensilenceseemedtoprevail。Hestruckamatchandlookedathiswatch。Itwasexactlythreeo’clock。Hegotoutofbed。Hewasamaninperfecthealth，ignorantofthemeaningofnerves，amanofprovedcourage。Yethewasconsciousthathispulseswerebeatingwithabsurdrapidity。Anewfeelingseemedtopossesshim。
Hecouldalmosthavedeclaredthathewasafraid。Whatsoundhadawakenedhim？Hehadnoidea，yetheseemedtohaveadistinctandabsoluteconvictionthatithadbeenarealsoundandnodream。
Hedrewasidethecurtainsandlookedoutofthewindow。Themistnowseemedtohavebecomealmostafog，tohaveclosedinuponseaandland。Therewasnothingwhatevertobeseen。Ashestoodthereforamoment，listening，hisfacebecamemoistwiththedriftingvapour。Suddenlyuponthebeachhesawwhatatfirstheimaginedmustbeanopticalillusion-alongshaftoflight，invisibleinitselfexceptthatitseemedtoslightlychangethedensityofthemist。Hethrewonanovercoatoverhispyjamas，thrustonhisslippers，andtakinguphisownelectrictorch，hastilydescendedthestairs。Heopenedthefrontdoorandsteppedoutontothebeach。Hestoodintheveryplacewherethelighthadseemedtobe，andlookedinland。Therewasnosignofanyhumanperson，notasoundexceptthefallingoftheseauponthepebblybeach。Heraisedhisvoiceandcalledout。Somehoworother，speechseemedtobearelief。
“Hullo！“
Therewasnoresponse。Hetriedagain。
“Isanyonethere？“
Stillnoanswer。Hewatchedtheveiledlightfromtheharbourappearanddisappear。Itthrewnoshadowofilluminationuponthespottowhichhehadgazedfromhiswindow。OnewindowatSt。
David’sHallwasilluminated。Therestoftheplacewaswrappednowindarkness。Hewalkeduptotheboat-house。Thedoorwasstilllocked。Therewasnosignthatanyonehadbeenthere。
Reluctantlyatlasthere-enteredtheTowerandmadehiswayup-stairs。
“ConfoundthatfellowKinsley！“hemuttered，ashethrewoffhisovercoat。“Allhissillysuggestionsandmelodramaticideashavegivenmeafitofnerves。Iamgoingtobed，andIamgoingtosleep。Thatcouldn’thavebeenalightIsawatall。Icouldn’thaveheardanything。Iamgoingtosleep。“
Hamelawoketofindhisroomfilledwithsunshineandasoftwindblowinginthroughtheopenwindow。Therewasapleasantodourofcoffeefloatingupfromthekitchen。Helookedathiswatch-itwaspasteighto’clock。Theseawasglitteringandbespangledwithsunlight。Hefoundamonghisscantybelongingsabathingsuit，and，wrappedinhisovercoat，hurrieddown-stairs。
“Breakfastinhalfanhour，Mrs。Cox，“hecalledout。
Shestoodatthedoor，watchinghimashesteppedacrossthepebblesandplungedin。Forafewmomentsheswam。Thenheturnedoveronhisback。ThesunlightwasgleamingfromeverywindowofSt。David’sHall。Heevenfanciedthatupontheterracehecouldseeawhite-cladfigurelookingtowardshim。Heturnedoverandswamoncemore。FromherplaceinthedoorwayMrs。Coxcalledouttohim。
“MindtheDaggerRocks，sir！“
Hewavedhishand。Thesplendidexhilarationofthesaltwaterseemedtogivehimunlimitedcourage。Hedived，butthewoman’scryoffearsoonrecalledhim。Presentlyheswamtoshoreandhurriedupthebeach。Mrs。Cox，withasighofrelief，disappearedintothekitchen。
“Thoserocksonyournervesagain，Mrs。Cox？“heasked，good-humouredly，ashetookhisplaceatthebreakfasttableaquarterofanhourlater。
“It’sonlyuswholivehere，sir，“sheanswered，“whoknowhowterribletheyare。Theresone-itcomesuplikemyhand-alongspike。Aboatoncestruckuponthat，andit’sasthoughit’dbeensawnthroughthemiddle。“
“Imusthavealookatthemsomeday，“hedeclared。“Iamgoingtoworkthismorning，Mrs。Cox。Lunchatoneo’clock。“
Hetookrugsandestablishedhimselfwithapileofbooksatthebackofagrassyknoll，shelteredfromthewind，withtheseaalmostathisfeet。Hesharpenedhispencilandnumberedthepageofhisnotebook。ThenhelookeduptowardstheHallgardenandfoundhimselfdreaming。Thesunshinewasdelicious，andagentleoptimismseemedtostealoverhim。
“Iamafool！“hemurmuredtohimself。“Iamcatchingsomepartofthesepeople’sfolly。Mr。Fentolinisonlyanordinary，crotchetyinvalidwithqueertastes。Onthebigthingsheisprobablylikeothermen。Ishallgotohimthismorning。
Asea-gullscreamedoverhishead。Little，brownsailedfishing-boatscameglidingdowntheharbourway。Apleasant，sensuousjoyfulnessseemedpartofthespiritoftheday。Hamelstretchedhimselfoutuponthedrysand。
“Workbehanged！“heexclaimed。
Asoftvoiceansweredhimalmostinhisear，avoicewhichwasbecomingveryfamiliar。
“Amostadmirablesentiment，myyoungfriend，whichyouseemtobedoingyourbesttoliveupto。Notalinewritten，Isee。“
Hesatupuponhisrug。Mr。Fentolin，inhislittlecarriage，wastherebyhisside。BehindwasthefaithfulMeekins，withaneaselunderhisarm。
“Itrustthatyourfirstnightinyournewabodehasbeenapleasantone？“Mr。Fentolinasked。
“Isleptquitewell，thanks，“Hamelreplied。“Gladtoseeyou’regoingtopaint。“
Mr。Fentolinshookhisheadgloomily。
“Itis，alas！“hedeclared，“oneofmyweaknesses。Icanworkonlyinsolitude。IcamedownonthechancethatthefineweathermighthavetemptedyouovertotheGolfClub。Asitis，Ishallreturn。“
“Iamawfullysorry，“Hamelsaid。“Can’tIgooutofsightsomewhere？“
Mr。Fentolinsighed。
“Iwillnotaskyourpardonformyabsurdhumours，“hecontinued，alittlesadly。“Theirexistence，however，Icannotdeny。I
