WhenIhadgotridofhim，whichIthoughtitwelltodowithoutprolongingexplanations，mymindwasmuchtroubledbythesetwocircumstancestakentogether。Whereastheywereeasyofinnocentsolutionapart-as，forinstance，somediner-outordiner-at-home，whohadnotgonenearthiswatchman\'sgate，mighthavestrayedtomystaircaseanddroppedasleepthere-andmynamelessvisitormighthavebroughtsomeonewithhimtoshowhimtheway-still，joined，theyhadanuglylooktooneaspronetodistrustandfearasthechangesofafewhourshadmademe。
Ilightedmyfire，whichburntwitharawpaleflareatthattimeofthemorning，andfellintoadozebeforeit。Iseemedtohavebeendozingawholenightwhentheclocksstrucksix。Astherewasfullanhourandahalfbetweenmeanddaylight，Idozedagain；now，wakingupuneasily，withprolixconversationsaboutnothing，inmyears；now，makingthunderofthewindinthechimney；atlength，fallingoffintoaprofoundsleepfromwhichthedaylightwokemewithastart。
AllthistimeIhadneverbeenabletoconsidermyownsituation，norcouldIdosoyet。Ihadnotthepowertoattendtoit。Iwasgreatlydejectedanddistressed，butinanincoherentwholesalesortofway。Astoforminganyplanforthefuture，Icouldassoonhaveformedanelephant。WhenIopenedtheshuttersandlookedoutatthewetwildmorning，allofaleadenhue；whenIwalkedfromroomtoroom；whenIsatdownagainshivering，beforethefire，waitingformylaundresstoappear；IthoughthowmiserableIwas，buthardlyknewwhy，orhowlongIhadbeenso，oronwhatdayoftheweekImadethereflection，orevenwhoIwasthatmadeit。
Atlast，theoldwomanandtheniececamein-thelatterwithaheadnoteasilydistinguishablefromherdustybroom-andtestifiedsurpriseatsightofmeandthefire。TowhomIimpartedhowmyunclehadcomeinthenightandwasthenasleep，andhowthebreakfastpreparationsweretobemodifiedaccordingly。Then，Iwashedanddressedwhiletheyknockedthefurnitureaboutandmadeadust；andso，inasortofdreamorsleep-waking，Ifoundmyselfsittingbythefireagain，waitingfor-Him-tocometobreakfast。
By-and-by，hisdooropenedandhecameout。Icouldnotbringmyselftobearthesightofhim，andIthoughthehadaworselookbydaylight。