Christopher looked at him wearily. He thought how this old man was younger than he, because he would live longer than he.
When he reached home, he threw himself on his bed. Curiously, he fell asleep at once. The heavy dreams of exhaustion took possession of him. Sweat ran from his brow.
When he woke, it was quite dark in the room. At first he knew not where he was, nor what had happened. Then, with a shock, he remembered. He moaned like a suffering animal that cannot tell its pains.... He could stand solitude no more. Already he was on the threshold. On the staircase he looked at his watch. Eleven o’clock. He knocked timidly at the door of the sunshine room.
“Anne, are you asleep?”
“Yes, a long time ago,” answered his sister inside. The door opened. Anne tried to look gay, but her eyes were sad.
“Do you remember, Christopher, how often you asked that question in the old times from your little railed bed?”
“And you answered then as you did now. Then too I was afraid.”
Anne looked him straight in the eyes.
“What do you mean?”
Christopher laughed curiously.