On holidays he left home in the morning and returned late at night.

She knew he went to the city and the theater; but nobody from the city ever came to visit him.

It seemed to her that with the lapse of time her son spoke less and less; and at the same time she noticed that occasionally and with increasing frequency he used new words unintelligible to her, and that the coarse, rude, and hard expressions dropped from his speech.

In his general conduct, also, certain traits appeared, forcing themselves upon his mother's attention.

He ceased to affect the dandy, but became more attentive to the cleanliness of his body and dress, and moved more freely and alertly.