He understood those thousands and thousands on the shore of the Thames and their sombre silence. He understood the shipman’s daughter, whose violated body had lain on coarse linen. He understood Adda Castillo and her will to destruction. He understood Jean Cardillac’s melancholy seeking for help, and his sorrow over his wife and child. He understood that ancient rake who cried out behind the gates of his cloister: “What shall I do? My Lord and Saviour, what shall I do?” He understood Dietrich, the deaf and dumb lad who had drowned himself, and Becker’s words concerning his dripping coat, and Franz Lothar’s horror at the intertwined bodies of the Hungarian men and maids, and the panting hunger of Amadeus Voss and his saying concerning the silver cord and the pitcher broken at the fountain. He understood the stony grief of the fishermen’s wives, and the opera singer who had twenty francs in his pocket. He understood. He understood. “Christian!” Eva cried out in a tone as though she were peering into the darkness. “The night has come upon us,” Christian said, and trembled. “Christian!” she cried. Suddenly he became aware of Amadeus Voss, who emerged out there from among the dark trees, and who seemed to have awaited him, for he made signs to him at the window. With a hasty good-night Christian left the room. Eva looked after him and did not move. A little later, forgetting the ache in her feet, she went into her dressing-room, opened her jewel case, took Ignifer out, and regarded the stone long and with brooding seriousness. Then she put it into her hair, and went to the mirror--cool in body, pale of face, quiet-eyed. She folded her arms, lost in this vision of herself. XXI Christian and Amadeus walked across the dam toward Duinbergen. “I have a confession to make to you, Wahnschaffe,” Amadeus Voss began. “I’ve been gambling, playing roulette, over at Ostende.” “I’ve heard about it,” said Christian absent-mindedly. “And, of course, you lost?” “The devil appeared to me,” said Amadeus, in hollow tones. “How much did you lose?” Christian asked.