He seemed very far away from the ordinary details of his life: he knew he had before him hard travel, and he was not confident of the end.

He could not tell how long he sat there .-- After, a time the ticking of the clock seemed painfully loud to him.

Now and again he heard a cab rattling through the Square, and the foolish song of some drunken loiterer in the night caused him to start painfully.

Everything jarred on him.

Once he got up, went to the window, and looked out.