Harkuttremainedforamomentwithhisfacepressedagainsttheglass.Afteranintervalhethoughtheheardthefaintsplashofhoofsintheshallowsoftheroad;heopenedthedoorsoftlyandlookedout.
Thelighthaddisappearedfromthenearesthouse;onlyanuncertainbulkofshapelessshadowsremained.Otherremoterandmorevagueoutlinesnearthehorizonseemedtohaveafunerealsuggestionoftombsandgravemounds,andone——alowshedneartheroad——lookednotunlikeahaltedbier.Hehurriedlyputuptheshuttersinamomentarylullingofthewind,andre-enteringthestorebegantofastenthemfromwithin.
Whilethusengagedaninnerdoorbehindthecounteropenedsoftlyandcautiously,projectingabrighterlightintothedesertedapartmentfromsomesacreddomesticinteriorwiththewarmandwholesomeincenseofcooking.Itservedtointroducealsotheequallyagreeablepresenceofayounggirl,who,afterassuringherselfoftheabsenceofeveryonebuttheproprietor,idlyslippedintothestore,andplacingherroundedelbows,fromwhichhersleeveswereuprolled,uponthecounter,leanedlazilyuponthem,withbothhandssupportingherdimpledchin,andgazedindolentlyathim;soindolentlythat,withherprettyfaceoncefixedinthiscomfortableattitude,shewasconstrainedtofollowhismovementswithhereyesalone,andoftenatanuncomfortableangle.ItwasevidentthatsheofferedthefinalbutcharmingillustrationoftheenfeeblinglistlessnessofSidon.
\"Sothoseloafershavegoneatlast,\"shesaid,meditatively.
\"They\'lltakerootheresomeday,pop.Theideaofthreestrongmenlikethatlazingroundfortwomortalhoursdoin\'nothin\'.