The door slammed violently on such further speech as he had in him to utter. Heseemed at first astonished; but finding the terrified boy about to sob, he drewa pretty box from one of his pockets and thrust a delicious sweetmeat betweenthe whimpering lips. Then, after some moments of irresolution, during which hestruck his chest soundingly and gazed down, talked alternately to himself andthe boy, and cast his eyes along the windows of the house, he at last droppedon one knee and swaddled the boy in the folds of the shawl. Raising him in abusiness-like way, he settled him on an arm and stepped briskly acrossgravel-walk and lawn, like a horse to whose neck a smart touch of the whip hasbeen applied.