Page:Des Grieux, The Prelude to Teleny.djvu/145

 asked me all kinds of silly questions. There I spoilt all the nurse's fun; in fact, since my birth I always seemed to be in everybody's way, a burden to myself and to all who had anything to do with me.

The day dragged on most drearily, for although I knew my lessons well, I was so listless and muddled, that I always answered wrongly. The upshot was that I got two hundred lines more.

In my despondency I was glad when night came on, my bed—a child's bugbear—was a real haven of rest. Although I intended remaining awake, just to see if anything would happen,still, no sooner was my weary head on my pillow, that I went off to sleep.

I only slumbered lightly, for I woke when the matron came in, and again T woke when she wallowed in her bed. As in a dream I heard the clock strike one, then I was conscious of a slight noise, the door of the room was opened and some one came in.

In spite of all my curiosity, I durst not turn round, nor move; I felt sure the matron would be listening to hear if I was awake.