ned me in my sleep. All I could guess dreaming was what I had
guessed waking, that Mother Oldershaw is the enemy who is attacking me
in the dark.

"My restless night has, however, produced one satisfactory result. It
has led to my winning the good graces of the servant here, and securing
all the assistance she can give me when the time comes for making my
escape.

"The girl noticed this morning that I looked pale and anxious. I
took her into my confidence, to the extent of telling her that I was
privately engaged to be married, and that I had enemies who were trying
to part me from my sweetheart. This instantly roused her sympathy, and
a present of a ten-shilling piece for her kind services to me did the
rest. In the intervals of her housework she has been with me nearly
the whole morning; and I found out, among other things, that _her_
sweetheart is a private soldier in the Guards, and that she expects to
see him to-morrow. I have got money enough left, little as it is, to
turn the head of any Private in the British army; and, if the person
appointed to watch me to-morrow is a man, I think it just possible that
he may find his attention disagreeably diverted from Miss Gwilt in the
course of the evening.

"When Midwinter came here last from the railway, he came at half-past
eight. How am I to get through the weary, weary hours between this and
the evening? I think I shall darken my bedroom, and drink the blessing
of oblivion from my bottle of Drops."

"Eleven o'clock.--We have parted for the last time before the day comes
that makes us man and wife.

"He has left me, as he left me before, with an absorbing subject of
interest to think of in his absence. I noticed a change in him the
moment he entered the room. When he told me of the funeral, and of his
parting with Armadale on board the yacht, though he spoke with feelings
deeply moved, he spoke with a mastery over himself which is new to me in
my experience of him. It was the same when our talk turned next on our
own hopes and prospects. He was plainly disappointed when he found
that my family embarrassments would prevent our meeting to-morrow, and
plainly uneasy at the prospect of leaving me to find my way by myself on
Monday to the church. But there was a certain hopefulness and composure
of manner underlying it all, which produced so strong an impression on
me that I was obliged to notice it.

"'You know what odd fancies take possession of me sometimes,' I