18729 My only source of anxiety now was the non-appearance of Holmes.
18730 The station clock marked only seven minutes from the time when we were due to start.
18731 In vain I searched among the groups of travellers and leave-takers for the lithe figure of my friend.
18732 There was no sign of him.
18733 I spent a few minutes in assisting a venerable Italian priest, who was endeavouring to make a porter understand, in his broken English, that his luggage was to be booked through to Paris.
18734 Then, having taken another look round, I returned to my carriage, where I found that the porter, in spite of the ticket, had given me my decrepit Italian friend as a travelling companion.
18735 It was useless for me to explain to him that his presence was an intrusion, for my Italian was even more limited than his English, so I shrugged my shoulders resignedly and continued to look out anxiously for my friend.
18736 A chill of fear had come over me, as I thought that his absence might mean that some blow had fallen during the night.
18737 Already the doors had all been shut and the whistle blown, when - 'My dear Watson,' said a voice, 'you have not even condescended to say good morning.'
18738 I turned in incontrollable astonishment.
18739 The aged ecclesiastic had turned his face towards me.
18740 For an instant the wrinkles were smoothed away, the nose drew away from the chin, the lower lip ceased to protrude and the mouth to mumble, the dull eyes regained their fire, the drooping figure expanded.
18741 The next the whole frame collapsed again, and Holmes had gone as quickly as he had come.