on this point, became extremely eloquent, as soon as he had ceased to shiver—"the whole affair resolves itself to this: Feeling fatigued you went to sleep; and who can wonder at it? while Jones, poor fellow, followed your example: no one can marvel at that!"
"But he solemnly promised that he would not go to sleep. 'Jones,' said I, 'can I, till one o'clock, trust you?' 'Sir,' he replied, I remember his words—'I'll not go to sleep if it isn't one o'clock for a month. I'll keep awake if I live!'"
"And he intended to do so, no doubt, poor man. You must therefore forgive him. But, now, is it not strange—is it not mysterious—that that door of mine should thus be opened, night after night, as it is, and for no other purpose than that of annoying me?"
"It is indeed mysterious," replied the reverend gentleman. "But I'll solve the mystery—I'll find it out. Having entered into the matter so far, I'll go on with it. Practices of this character, my dear madam, must and shall be put a stop to! They are perfectly monstrous. They must not—in a civilized country like ours—they must not be suffered to continue; and so firmly resolved am I to get to the bottom of this mystery, that if you will not allow me to occupy your parlour this night, I'll conceal myself in the shrubbery, and watch there!"
"My dear sir," cried Aunt Eleanor, "oh! for heaven's sake, do not dream of it for a moment!"
"Nothing can alter my firm determination in this matter. I'm resolved to find it out, and I will find it out; and unless you afford me an asylum in your parlour, into the shrubbery this very night I go."
"Oh, but I cannot think of consenting to your sacrificing your rest for me in this way."
"Well, my dear madam, you know my determination: I watch this night in the shrubbery. If you close the gates against me, I'll get over the wall."
"Close the gates against you! My dear sir, neither the gates nor the doors shall be closed against you. But let me prevail upon you to abandon this project—or at least to defer it for a time!"
"And in the interim suffer you to be constantly annoyed. No; my dear madam, it must be done at once. I feel that I am now bound to make this discovery. I'll find them out. I am not a man to be easily thwarted: I am not a man to be turned from my purpose by any trifling failure. I ought to be, and I am, ashamed of having failed to make the discovery last night; but this night shall settle it."
"Well, if you are determined, I cannot do less than express my gratitude; but I do still think that it had better be deferred. Consider to-night you will require much rest."
"Not at all! I'll manage that: I'll go to bed to-day, and thus prepare myself for night. But no supper!—do not prepare any supper—it is to that I ascribe our failure last night. Had it not been for the supper, Jones would not have gone to sleep; these fellows, you know, while there's anything to eat, will gormandize, and gormandize, until they have no more animation about them than prize pigs. Therefore prepare no supper, I'll bring something with me to keep us awake."
