lle_, the worse it would be, you take
precautions for the future, inspired by a

_Happy Thought._--"Cover the bed up carefully, so that it will be warm
when I come back again." Aha! Then to the bell-pull.

_Fourth Surprise._--Odd. You had never noticed before, that this, which
you thought was the bell-rope, is nothing of the sort; being a cord
attached to the old-fashioned catch on the door, and originally hung
within reach of the bed, which was of course in exactly the opposite
position to where it is now. Where _is_ the bell? You cannot see the
rope anywhere. Bother.

_Happy Thought._--To trace the wire running round the room at the top.

You _do_ trace it. It goes out at a hole and disappears. Trace it back
again. It goes all round, and as there is no sign of a bell-rope, this
article must be behind the bed.

It is. Struggle with heavy bedstead. Dust. There at last is the
bell-rope. You pull it. You pull it again. You hear it ring. This is
satisfactory.

_Happy Thought._--Get into bed again. Do so. Warm. Arrange mentally for
reprimanding the servant severely. Such a waste of time. Here you have
been awake since, goodness knows when, and no hot water, no clothes,
nothing! And you may add, you put 'em outside the door so carefully last
night, _on purpose_ that they shouldn't be forgotten.

Knock at door. "Come in." Door shaken.

_Fifth Surprise._--Why doesn't he come in?----Door shaken again.
Angrily, "Come in!"

Answer from outside, like the voice in a ventriloquist's entertainment,
"I can't come in, sir; the door's locked."

_Yourself_ (in bed).--"No, it isn't. Push it."

Answer from without, as before, "No, sir, you've let down the latch. If
you pull the string, I can come in."

Nuisance. Out of bed again. Pull up latch-string. Into bed again. Less
warm now.

_Yourself_ (_or myself, severely, from bed_).--"You didn't call me this
morning. And where are my things?"

_Valet._--"They've been standing houtside, sir, this 'our and a 'arf. I
knocked twice, sir, but the latch was down, and so I couldn't get in.
'Ot water, sir, 's cold as hice. Better bring you some fresh."

[_Exit._

There's still an entr'acte between his bringing the hot water and my
getting up.

_Happy Thought._--Well, I dare say it's all the better for me that I've
overslept myself a little this morning. If Nature sleeps, depend upon it
Nature knows what she's about.