He had scarcely understood this at first, for he had been confused and shaken by the many emotions which had in succession played upon his nervous mind and body during the past twenty-four hours.
But now he saw it all very clearly.

He had taken only money, which he would be able to restore; she had given a part of herself, irrevocably.
So deeply absorbed was he in his thoughts that the clocks struck many successive quarters without rousing him from his reverie, or suggesting again to him the fixed idea by which his life was governed on that day of the week.

But as midnight drew near, the prolonged striking of the bells at every quarter at last attracted his attention.

He started suddenly and rose from his seat, trying to count the strokes, but he had not heard the first ones and was astray in his reckoning.

It was very late, that was certain, and not many minutes could elapse before the door would open and his friends would enter.