If any affair of particular moment, or demanding peculiar acuteness, was weighing on his mind, he invariably went in, to wander with mouse-like attention from epitaph to epitaph.

Then retiring in the same noiseless way, he would hold steadily on up Cheapside, a thought more of dogged purpose in his gait, as though he had seen something which he had made up his mind to buy.
He went in this morning, but, instead of stealing from monument to monument, turned his eyes upwards to the columns and spacings of the walls, and remained motionless.
His uplifted face, with the awed and wistful look which faces take on themselves in church, was whitened to a chalky hue in the vast building.
His gloved hands were clasped in front over the handle of his umbrella.
He lifted them.

Some sacred inspiration perhaps had come to him.
'Yes,' he thought, 'I must have room to hang my pictures.
That evening, on his return from the City, he called at Bosinney's office.

He found the architect in his shirt-sleeves, smoking a pipe, and ruling off lines on a plan.

Soames refused a drink, and came at once to the point.
"If you've nothing better to do on Sunday, come down with me to Robin Hill, and give me your opinion on a building site." "Are you going to build ?" "Perhaps," said Soames; "but don't speak of it.