Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/462

"Try it, sir! What would I not do to cure myself of this awfully perilous practice? Nothing of the kind ever occurred, to my knowledge, while I lived with Mr. Scholefield: I am, therefore, bound to believe that nothing ever did occur, and that, as I lived, while there, abstemiously, the fact is ascribable solely to that. I thank you for the suggestion. I feel grateful to you beyond all expression. I shall adopt it, most assuredly, at once."

"And I hope, most sincerely," added Howard, "that it will prove to be in your case effectual."

They then rejoined the ladies, and had coffee; and Sylvester chatted with Henriette—whom he found to be a highly intellectual, as well as a most lovely, girl—while the reverend gentleman and Howard were conversing most earnestly in private. The result of this conversation was, that they resolved on posting to town on the morrow, and, soon after this resolution had been fixed, the guests took leave of Howard and Henriette, and left the Hall—the reverend gentleman with such news for Eleanor, and Sylvester with feelings of gratitude and love!

In the morning, about half-past five o'clock, Sylvester—who not only went to bed the previous night supperless, but, in order to counteract the effects of the wine, had taken a cooling draught—awoke; and, feeling anxious to get up, for his stomach, being empty, was very rebellious, he at length pulled the chain, and awoke his protector.

Judkins, in an instant, sat upright in bed, and looked at him very mysteriously, and then shook his head with peculiar significance, and then said, "No: it won't do; not a bit of it: nothing at all of the sort: I won't have it. You want to cut away again, don't you?"

"I want to get up," replied Sylvester.

"Then I'd rayther you'd remain where you are, for I don't want to get into any more cages."

"I am not now asleep!"

"No, I dessay you're not: no doubt you're wide awake in a state of somnambulisation!"

"No, indeed I am not: look at me?"

"That's of no use! I can't tell by looking. What do you want to get up for, here, a little arter five?"

"In the first place, I feel very hungry; and in the next, as I can't sleep, I may as well get up as not."