Near the bottom of the lane, where the street dead-ended at a chandler’s shop, two figures leaned against the brick wall beneath a leaking eave. One larger, one leaner. Both watching the mouth of the alley across the way.

Down the lane, a young canine in a fine blue wool coat and a brown fur cossack hat stepped out of a side door, glancing up at the rain with mild annoyance before adjusting his collar and starting toward the main street.