He turned about, and threw himself into his chair.

The woman shrank back beyond the threshold.
"Good-day, sir, and thank you," she said.

But Bressant could not be expected to hear the low, timid tone in which she spoke.

Seeing that he made no response, she softly closed the door.
She went along the dark entry to her own room.

On a little table in one corner stood an old-fashioned desk.