The flickering, blurred flames of gas-lamps seemed to be dissolving in a watery atmosphere.

And the lofty pretensions of a mankind oppressed by the miserable indignities of the weather appeared as a colossal and hopeless vanity deserving of scorn, wonder, and compassion.
"Horrible, horrible!" thought the Assistant Commissioner to himself, with his face near the window-pane.

"We have been having this sort of thing now for ten days; no, a fortnight--a fortnight." He ceased to think completely for a time.

That utter stillness of his brain lasted about three seconds.

Then he said perfunctorily: "You have set inquiries on foot for tracing that other man up and down the line ?" He had no doubt that everything needful had been done.