"Ah, would he? Would he? He would, would he?" A clock struck half-past eleven. This was my second stage. I will begin the third at the moment when I pushed gently at the gate over the whitewashed area near the Foundling Hospital. His light still showed over the leads, but the basement was in darkness. Evidently Jane had gone to bed. I felt in my pocket for his latchkey, mounted the three steps, and with infinite softness put the key into the lock and turned it. The door opened noiselessly, and I prevented the click as I closed it again by letting the little brass knob gently back with my thumb. Then silently I began to mount his stairs, passing on the way the locked box that had been put into my charge. I reached the top. The first sound I had made since entering the house was my tap at Archie's door. "Come in!" his tenor voice called from behind the door. I entered. At first he did not seem more than ordinarily surprised to see me; it was only after a moment that the oddness struck him. "Hallo!" he began, in natural though not altogether cordial tones.... Then, "Hallo! I thought you were in Bedford by this time." "Missed my train," I said. He stared mistrustfully.... He had been preparing for bed. He had removed his collar and tie, and his red waistcoat was unbuttoned. Through the chink of his bedroom door I saw the light of his second lamp. In his surprise at seeing me back again, he had half risen from his arm-chair. He remained, his hands on the arms of it, neither sitting nor standing, as he asked suddenly, "Who let you in?" "Myself," I answered, in an even tone. "A little unceremonious, perhaps, but I knew Jane had gone to bed and didn't want to fetch you down. The fact is, I've found your latchkey." "You've found my latchkey!" "In my coat pocket. Don't ask me how it got there. Our two coats were hanging together one night, but even then I don't quite see.... Here it is anyway." I put it on the table. "That's a rum 'un," he said, slowly sitting down in his chair again, but keeping his eyes on mine. "So you came back to give it me?" "I came back to give it you. Besides," my eyes were on his slender bare neck, "since I was coming back--I thought I'd like another word with you before----" I paused. For a moment I could not understand the readiness with which he took up the thing I had not said. His lips had compressed a little. "Ah! Again?" he said, with a little kindling in his eyes. "'Again'?" Then I saw. He had seen Miss Angela during the last hour, and she had doubtless spoken of my own call on her. "Yes, again," I answered. That third stage had a curious close. That close was nothing less than the reunification of those two halves of the Giant to the fabulous splitting into two of whom I have likened my mental state. They came together again, these two halves, as the two forces come together that make the thunder clap ... but of this in a moment.