I sat down; there was no greater pleasure for me than an evening spent there.

At first all was quite still; the gentleman smoking his cigar walked up and down; the two youths, who had evidently mistaken the nature of the pier, and considered themselves greatly injured by the absence of music and company, went away; the old man sat still for some time, then he left.
I was alone then with the smoker, who troubled himself very little about me.

The coquettish moon threw a wide, laughing gleam around, then vanished.

A whole pile of thick, dark clouds came up from the west and hid her fair face--by them the thick, soft gloom had deepened into darkness.

I was far from expecting anything tragical as I sat there, cold and desolate, lonely.