Jean Francois Millet Man with a hoe painting

Jean Francois Millet Man with a hoe paintingHerbert James Draper The Water Nymph paintingHerbert James Draper Pot Pourri painting
between the display windows, as a young couple in raincoats and hoods strolled by on the sidewalk, led by a golden retriever on a leash.The dog looked up at Ethan, its eyes as wise as they were liquid and dark.“Good evening,” the couple said.Unable to back once more. Then the trio disappeared around the corner.In the street, the traffic was lighter than usual at this hour, moving faster than the weather warranted.Arriving at the red zone near the end of the block, Ethan stood under the last awning—and thought that he might stand there, well and safely back from the street, until dawn reclaimed the city from the night.A long gap appeared in the approaching traffic.With his trembling right hand, he fished his keys from a jacket pocket and thumbed the lock-speak, Ethan nodded.“Tink, let’s go,” the woman urged, and then repeated the command when the dog hesitated.The soaked retriever pranced away, snout lifted to savor the chilly air, followed by its companions.Ethan turned to peer at the florist who still stood behind the counter, past the glass coffins full of roses.Rowena had been staring after him. Now she quickly looked down as though attending to a task.On legs as shaky as his reason, Ethan retraced the route that he had taken to this place, under the sheltering awnings of shops and restaurants, toward the Expedition in the red zone.Ahead, Tink twice glanced back, but didn’t stop.Passing a restaurant bejeweled with candlelight and sparkling [175] tableware, the end of the block, the dog looked