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former supposition was disproved； however； by her innocently saying；
some days later； when they were speaking on a question of health；
that she had never had a moment's heaviness； headache； or illness of
any kind since the previous January twelvemonth。
'I am glad to hear it；' said he。 'I thought quite otherwise。'
'What； do I look sickly？' she asked； turning up her face to show the
impossibility of his gazing on it and holding such a belief for a
moment。
'Not at all； I merely thought so from your being sometimes obliged
to keep your room through the best part of the day。'
'O； as for thatit means nothing；' she murmured； with a look which
some might have called cold； and which was the worst look that he
liked to see upon her。 'It is pure sleepiness； Mr。 Stockdale。'
'Never！'
'It is； I tell you。 When I stay in my room till half…past three in
the afternoon； you may always be sure that I slept soundly till
three； or I shouldn't have stayed there。'
'It is dreadful；' said Stockdale； thinking of the disastrous effects
of such indulgence upon the household of a minister； should it
become a habit of everyday occurrence。
'But then；' she said； divining his good and prescient thoughts； 'it
only happens when I stay awake all night。 I don't go to sleep till
five or six in the morning sometimes。'
'Ah； that's another matter；' said Stockdale。 'Sleeplessness to such
an alarming extent is real illness。 Have you spoken to a doctor？'
'O nothere is no need for doing thatit is all natural to me。'
And she went away without further remark。
Stockdale might have waited a long time to know the real cause of
her sleeplessness； had it not happened that one dark night he was
sitting in his bedroom jotting down notes for a sermon； which
occupied him perfunctorily for a considerable time after the other
members of the household had retired。 He did not get to bed till
one o'clock。 Before he had fallen asleep he heard a knocking at the
front door； first rather timidly performed； and then louder。 Nobody
answered it； and the person knocked again。 As the house still
remained undisturbed； Stockdale got out of bed； went to his window；
which overlooked the door； and opening it； asked who was there。
A young woman's voice replied that Susan Wallis was there； and that
she had come to ask if Mrs。 Newberry could give her some mustard to
make a plaster with； as her father was taken very ill on the chest。
The minister； having neither bell nor servant； was compelled to act
in person。 'I will call Mrs。 Newberry；' he said。 Partly dressing
himself； he went along the passage and tapped at Lizzy's door。 She
did not answer； and； thinking of her erratic habits in the matter of
sleep； he thumped the door persistently； when he discovered； by its
moving ajar under his knocking； that it had only been gently pushed
to。 As there was now a sufficient entry for the voice； he knocked
no longer； but said in firm tones； 'Mrs。 Newberry； you are wanted。'
The room was quite silent； not a breathing； not a rustle； came from
any part of it。 Stockdale now sent a positive shout through the
open space of the door： 'Mrs。 Newberry！'still no answer； or
movement of any kind within。 Then he heard sounds from the opposite
room； that of Lizzy's mother； as if she had been aroused by his
uproar though Lizzy had not； and was dressing herself hastily。
Stockdale softly closed the younger woman's door and went on to the
other； which was opened by Mrs。 Simpkins before he could reach it。
She was in her ordinary clothes； and had a light in her hand。
'What's the person calling about？' she said in alarm。
Stockdale told the girl's errand； adding seriously； 'I cannot wake
Mrs。 Newberry。'
'It is no matter；' said her mother。 'I can let the girl have what
she wants as well as my daughter。' And she came out of the room and
went downstairs。
Stockdale retired towards his own apartment； saying； however； to
Mrs。 Simpkins from the landing； as if on second thoughts； 'I suppose
there is nothing the matter with Mrs。 Newberry； that I could not
wake her？'
'O no；' said the old lady hastily。 'Nothing at all。'
Still the minister was not satisfied。 'Will you go in and see？' he
said。 'I should be much more at ease。'
Mrs。 Simpkins returned up the staircase； went to her daughter's
room； and came out again almost instantly。 'There is nothing at all
the matter with Lizzy；' she said； and descended again to attend to
the applicant； who； having seen the light； had remained quiet during
this interval。
Stockdale went into his room and lay down as before。 He heard
Lizzy's mother open the front door； admit the girl； and then the
murmured discourse of both as they went to the store…cupboard for
the medicament required。 The girl departed； the door was fastened；
Mrs。 Simpkins came upstairs； and the house was again in silence。
Still the minister did not fall asleep。 He could not get rid of a
singular suspicion； which was all the more harassing in being； if
true； the most unaccountable thing within his experience。 That
Lizzy Newberry was in her bedroom when he made such a clamour at the
door he could not possibly convince himself； notwithstanding that he
had heard her come upstairs at the usual time； go into her chamber；
and shut herself up in the usual way。 Yet all reason was so much
against her being elsewhere； that he was constrained to go back
again to the unlikely theory of a heavy sleep； though he had heard
neither breath nor movement during a shouting and knocking loud
enough to rouse the Seven Sleepers。
Before coming to any positive conclusion he fell asleep himself； and
did not awake till day。 He saw nothing of Mrs。 Newberry in the
morning； before he went out to meet the rising sun； as he liked to
do when the weather was fine； but as this was by no means unusual；
he took no notice of it。 At breakfast…time he knew that she was not
far off by hearing her in the kitchen； and though he saw nothing of
her person； that back apartment being rigorously closed against his
eyes； she seemed to be talking； ordering； and bustling about among
the pots and skimmers in so ordinary a manner； that there was no
reason for his wasting more time in fruitless surmise。
The minister suffered from these distractions； and his extemporized
sermons were not improved thereby。 Already he often said Romans for
Corinthians in the pulpit； and gave out hymns in strange cramped
metres； that hitherto had always been skipped； because the
congregation could not raise a tune to fit them。 He fully resolved
that as soon as his few weeks of stay approached their end he would
cut the matter short； and commit himself by proposing a definite
engagement； repenting at leisure if necessary。
With this end in view； he suggested to her on the evening after her
mysterious sleep that they should take a walk together just before
dark； the latter part of the proposition being introduced that they
might return home unseen。 She consented to go； and away they went
over a stile； to a shrouded footpath suited for the occasion。 But；
in spite of attempts on both sides； they were unable to infuse much
spirit into the ra