Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/422

"Id codsequedce of his havidg idforbed be the other day, that he suspected that he was a sobdabbulist, I idduced hib to sleep at by house, add sat up id a roob adjoiding that id which he slept. About two o'clock he cabe idto the roob id which I was sittidg, add had a a glass of braddy-add-water, add sboked a cigar, add codversed for sobe tibe, add thed wedt to bed agaid; but id the borbidg he recollected dothidg at all about it. Dot satisfied with this, I sat up the dext dight without his kdowledge, havidg previously attached a stridg to the sash of his bedroob widdow, add adother to the haddle of his door; add, at about the sabe tibe, that is to say, two o'clock, the stridg attached to the door was pulled out of by hadd; I wedt out, add heard footsteps asceddidg the stairs. I therefore followed, and codtidued to follow udtil I had reached the attic, frob the widdow of which I saw Sylvester, that is to say the defeddadt id this actiod—walkidg od the very verge of the parapet, with dothidg whatever od but his shirt. I was of course at the tibe appalled, add as he passed be, I iddiscreetly seized hib by the wrist, add the sudded shock caused hib to fall over the parapet. I held hib, however, still, add biraculously got hib up; add whed I had succeeded id doidg so, it appears that I faidted: but the fact of his beidg a sobdabbulist is sufficiedt to accoudt for bady extraordidary things which occurred whed he lived id by father's house about five years ago."

"Then you have not the slightest doubt of his being a somnampulist?"

"Dode whatever! His is the bost codfirbed case I ever bet with."

"Has he slept in your house ever since you made the discovery?"

"Yes, every dight; add with be."

"In the same bed?"

"Yes."

"And does he still walk in his sleep?"

"Doe: he would do so, but I prevedt hib. Whed we go to bed I attach a sball haddcuff to his wrist, add adother to by owd. He therefore caddot rise without wakidg be."

"Which he does, I suppose, frequently?"

"Every dight."

"And that he is a somnambulist you solemnly swear?"

"I do."

"You have a practice," said Mr. Phillpots, who rose to cross-examine Tom, "which yields you a thousand a-year?"

"I have."

"Will you swear that?"

"Beidg dow od by oath, I codsider that everythidg I say I swear to."

"And you swear that your practice yields you a thousand a-year?"

"I do."

"You do. Well, you have known the defendant for some years, haven't you?"

"I have."

"And did it never occur to you that he was a somnambulist until the other night?"