The Reef

against Darrow's high-perchedwindows, reduced their vast prospect of roofs and chimneysto

and the weatherhas settled down to do its worst. There were no variationsof rhythm, no lyrical ups and

e floor, and he satstaring with dull acquiescence into the boundless blur ofrain, which affected

trolier", and half adozen paper novels lay on the mantelpiece among cigar-casesand toilet bottles; but these traces of his passage had madeno mark on the featureless dulness of the room, its look ofbeing the makeshift setting of innumerable transientcollocations.

to his feet, lit a cigar and went tothe window. Through the rain he could j

t the circuitmore deliberately. He felt a quite disproportionateirritation at the trifling blunder. When he had correctedit he went back to his chair and threw

toward a provisional shelter. But now that he wasleaving it, was looking at it for the last time, it seemedto have taken complete possession of his mind, to be soakingitself into him l

again be in a daylight world of recognized activities,himself a busy, responsible, relatively necessary factor inthe big whirring social and official machine. That fixedo

rcleof its insistent associations. It was extraordinary wi

a dusty bell,the high-bolstered brown-counterpaned bed, the framed cardof printed rules under the el

nsibility. He was satisfied that he had struck therig

lf in some unmapped region outside the paleof the usual. It was not like anything that had everhappened to him before, or in which

rspective, blotted out the mystery of the remoter planesand the enchantment of the middle distance, and thrust intoprominence every commonplace fact of the foreground. It was

another. But themere act of leaving his chair seemed to call for a greaterexertion of the will than

photographic picture of that otherroom. Everything in it rose before him and pressed itselfupon his vision with the same acuity of distinctness as theobjects surrounding him. A step sounded on the floor, andhe knew which way the step was directe

l. Thenhe heard the mouse-like squeal of a reluctant drawer, andknew it was the upper one in the chest of drawers

oor of communication between thetwo rooms. He opened his eyes and looked. The step hadceased and for a moment there was silence. Then he heard

r pause, then awavering soft advance, the rustle of a dress behind hischair, the warmth of two hands pressed for a moment on hislids. The palms of the

it, had slipped betweenhis knees to the floor. It lay there, address upward, athis feet, and while he sat star

and he bent over andcaught the arm.

--"take the troub

ed overthe letter, he fingered its thickness and weig

,and became aware that the face was still leaning over him,

threw the unopened letter