On the morning after our return to Fondi he showed a strange tendency to sleep incessantly, which made me suspect the existence of some physical malady in his brain.

The whole day he hardly exchanged a word with me, and seemed to be never fairly awake.

Early the next morning I went into his room, and found him as silent and lethargic as ever.

His servant, who was with us, informed me that Alfred had once or twice before exhibited such physical symptoms of mental exhaustion as we were now observing during his father's lifetime at Wincot Abbey.
This piece of information made me feel easier, and left my mind free to return to the consideration of the errand which had brought us to Fondi.
I resolved to occupy the time until my companion got better in prosecuting our search by myself.

That path to the right hand which led to the convent had not yet been explored.