Page:Dale - A Marriage Below Zero.djvu/122

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I could not sleep. I tried my hardest to woo the old humbug Morpheus, who is always on hand when not wanted, but fails to respond to urgent appeals. I was as wide awake as I had been in the early morning, with the sole difference that I was now feverish and oppressed. I rang the bell that communicated with Marie's room. She responded to the call, looking horribly sleepy and unlovely, poor girl.

"Marie," I said, "I cannot sleep, Would you mind sitting with me until morning? I don't know what is the matter with me, but I am too wide awake even to doze."

I threw open the window of my room and let the cool night breezes blow through my refractory tresses. It was a glorious moonlight night, and as I looked at the pretty little gardens in the lovely blue-white illumination, I felt less ill at ease.