I couldn't do without him." Mr Verloc went on divesting himself of his clothing with the unnoticing inward concentration of a man undressing in the solitude of a vast and hopeless desert.

For thus inhospitably did this fair earth, our common inheritance, present itself to the mental vision of Mr Verloc.

All was so still without and within that the lonely ticking of the clock on the landing stole into the room as if for the sake of company.
Mr Verloc, getting into bed on his own side, remained prone and mute behind Mrs Verloc's back.

His thick arms rested abandoned on the outside of the counterpane like dropped weapons, like discarded tools.

At that moment he was within a hair's breadth of making a clean breast of it all to his wife.