He paced it round and round, came back to the
same spot, and sat down again. He did this often, and once, with a hasty
movement, crossed to where some men were watching in the prison lodge,
and had his foot upon the steps as though determined to accost them. But
looking round, he saw that the day began to break, and failing in his
purpose, turned and fled.
He was soon in the quarter he had lately traversed, and pacing to and
fro again as he had done before. He was passing down a mean street, when
from an alley close at hand some shouts of revelry arose, and there came
straggling forth a dozen madcaps, whooping and calling to each other,
who, parting noisily, took different ways and dispersed in smaller
groups.
Hoping that some low place of entertainment which would afford him a
safe refuge might be near at hand, he turned into this court when they
were all gone, and looked about for a half-opened door, or lighted
window, or other indication of the place whence they had come. It was
so profoundly dark, however, and so ill-favoured, that he concluded they
had but turned up there, missing their way, and were pouring out again
when he observed them. With this impression, and finding there was no
outlet but that by which he had entered, he was about to turn, when from
a grating near his feet a sudden stream of light appeared, and the sound
of talking came.
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