Greek woman who seemed to be the _concierge_, and
thither no doubt the girl retired. And once while I drowsed for a spell
I was aware of her as she stepped softly up to me, peered into my face,
and then, as I opened my eyes, withdrew without speaking. Yes, I drowsed
time and again; but toward dawn I grew wakeful and the necessity of
returning to the ship became urgent once more. You will understand, of
course, that it was not a fear of being killed that held me in that
room. I was in a mood up there which rendered me perfectly indifferent
to material risks of that nature. It was rather an illogical and
irresistible instinct to play up to the event. I was intensely aware
that the episode, by reason of its frustrating climax, was already
standing away from me, and I was unable to relinquish my position. I
felt that when I was gone away from that room I would be at the mercy of
a frightful and solitary future. It may sound strange to you, spoken in
cold blood, but that dead girl was nearer to me during my vigil than any
living woman had ever been! I went over everything that had happened
while I sat and watched the light of the three candles flicker over
those exquisite features. And I discovered in the confused tangle of
emotions one bright scarlet thread of gladness that no more harm could
come to her. For mind you, I was wise enough to know the perilous
problems in store for her, even if she had come home with us. I was
under no illusions about either of us. It was the tremendous risks which
had allured me. I have said I believed she would have won out, and I do.
But how? Women win out in all sorts of extraordinary ways. I am not so
sure some of them would not be better in their graves....

"But I went down at last. And the girl Pollyni met me in the corridor
below. She said: 'Are you going on board the ship?' 'Yes,' I answered,
'I am going on board the ship. What else can I do?' She shrugged her
shoulders and looked at the floor. I started to go out. I experienced a
sudden irritable anger.

"'Why do you ask?' I demanded.

"'Well,' she said in a low tone, 'you know her father is sick.'

"'Oh,' I answered, 'I will come ashore again, of course. But just now,
you understand, I must go back. I may be wanted.' And I went out quickly
into the chill air of the dawn.

"And the intense silence of that cold, closed, steep street daunted me.
I felt, as I surveyed those silent and repellent facades, with their
enigmatic shutte