Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/463

"But don't you recollect you told me not to let you get up before the usual time, on no account whatsomdever? Now, this here's a very onrational time, you know, for you to get up, so you'd better lay down ag'in, and make your life happy."

"Nonsense!" cried Sylvester, who couldn't avoid laughing; "I tell you distinctly that I'm now quite awake! Where's the key?"

"Well, but are you awake now? Upon your soul, are you awake?"

"I am."

"Well, I don't know; you know, sir, whether you are or not: I'll defy all flesh to tell that: you look as if you was, and if you will have the key, why you must have the key, and I'll go with you wheresomdever you please, but may I be burnt if you gets away from me, or even so much as quits my sight."

"It's all right, Judkins. Come, the key."

Judkins gave him the key, and, not being satisfied, got up at once, and dressed himself, and stood by the door, and watched him closely, until he was ready to leave the room, when he took his arm and shook him well, and bawled in his ear, "I say, sir! Mr. Sylvester! are you awake?"

"Yes!" replied Sylvester, who, although convulsed with laughter, bawled in the ear of Judkins as loudly as Judkins had bawled in his; "Yes! I am!"

Judkins was now pretty nearly convinced: still he followed him, and kept his eye upon him, and would not allow him to go out of his sight, until Aunt Eleanor came down to breakfast, when he saw him safely into the parlour, and felt that he had thus done his duty.

"Well, my dear," exclaimed Aunt Eleanor, who was in high spirits that morning; "what sort of a night have you had?"

"I slept well," replied Sylvester, "till half-past five, when I felt so desperately hungry, that I was really compelled to get up."

"Then you did not, before that time, disturb Judkins?"

"I don't believe that, until I awoke, I even moved."

"Thank heaven! That is the remedy, my love!"

"I feel sure of it!"

"You need not, during the day, be particularly abstemious. All I apprehend you have to do, is to abtain from eating suppers. But you, of course, know how to act now, much better than I can tell you."

They then reverted to the Howards, and, while Sylvester was giving a glowing description of the beautiful Henriette, the reverend gentleman passed through the gate, and Sylvester rose to meet him.

"Well," he exclaimed, as he entered the parlour; "how are you both this morning? I presume, of course, that nothing has occurred."

"Nothing!" returned Sylvester.

"Then my friend is right?"

"I believe him to be quite right."

"That's a blessing. Well, you know I have to be with him at eleven."

"And I go with you, of course?"

"Oh, dear me, no; I'll not trouble you. I'll take Jones, you know. He can bring the phaeton back."