He undressed himself in his seclusion, broken only by the
monotonous voices in the adjoining apartment. From time to time he
heard fragments and scraps of their conversation, always in reference to
affairs of the household and settlement, but never of himself,--not even
the suggestion of a prudent lowering of their voices,--and fell asleep.
He woke up twice in the night with a sensation of cold so marked and
distinct from his experience of the early evening, that he was fain to
pile his clothes over his blankets to keep warm. He fell asleep again,
coming once more to consciousness with a sense of a slight jar, but
relapsing again into slumber for he knew not how long. Then he was
fully awakened by a voice calling him, and, opening his eyes, beheld the
blanket partition put aside, and the face of Jay thrust forward. To
his surprise it wore a look of excited astonishment dominated by
irrepressible laughter.
"Get up quick as you kin," she said gaspingly; "this is about the
killingest thing that ever happened!"
She disappeared, but he could still hear her laughing, and to his utter
astonishment with her disappearance the floor seemed to change its
level.
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