Suddenly the fixed expression left his face. A thought that sent the blood tingling through his veins had rushed in upon him.
"Perhaps," he said, breathless, "I am a widower! She may be dead!"
He rose nimbly, and, taking up the candle, once more went into the passage leading to the first-floor room of the Tower of Silence.
He looked carefully round, and then going to the end of the passage further from the tower, closed the two doors and locked the inner one.
He proceeded cautiously back to the door leading into the tower. This was a single door. He held the candle in his left hand, knocked with his right, and bent his ear towards the door.
No reply.
He knocked again, this time more loudly.
Still no reply.
Holding the candle behind him, he bent low and looked into the keyhole.
Undoubtedly there was the end of the shaft of the key shining against his eye.