Israelitish monarch's aphorism, that "all men are liars ".

Be this as it may, my sleep (when, at length, after the excitement I had
undergone, sleep condescended to visit me, which was not until, contrary
to all the rules of good breeding, Somnus had allowed me to call upon
him repeatedly in vain) was disturbed by all sorts and kinds of visions.
Lawlesses innumerable, attended by shoals of top-booted shrimps--the
visionary shrimp being a sort of compromise between the boy so called
and the real article--drove impossible dog-carts drawn by quadrupeds
whose heads and necks bore a striking resemblance to the waltz-loving
Diana Clapperton, up and down ball-rooms, to the unspeakable terror
of squadrons of turbaned old ladies. Deafening peals of bells, rung
by troops of Freddy ColeMEN (which I take to be the correct plural
of Coleman), were rousing night-capped nations from their slumbers
in alarm, to whom flocks of frightened mayors were bleating forth
bewildered orders, which resulted in perplexing everybody; and through
it all, mixed up and combined with everything, the pale interesting face
of Clara Saville, ~138~~characterised by an expression of the deepest
sadness, gazed at me reproachfully out of its large trustful eyes, and
rendered me intensely miserable. From dreams such as these I was
not sorry to be aroused by the sun shining brightly through my
window-shutter; and, on consulting my watch, I found, somewhat to my
surprise, that I had slept till nearly midday.

On reaching the breakfast-room my first inquiry was for Lawless, in
reply to which, I was informed that he had returned (on the fire-engine)
about half an hour after I came in; that immediately upon his arrival
he had called for unlimited supplies of rum, lemons, and other suitable
ingredients, wherewith he manufactured a monster brewing of punch in
a washing-tub for the benefit of the firemen, with whom he had somehow
contrived to establish the most amicable relations; he then assisted in
discussing the beverage he had prepared, which appeared to produce no
particular effects until, wishing to rise to return thanks when they
drank his health, he suddenly lost his balance, and being carried to bed
by the waiter and boots, had not yet reappeared. Not liking to disturb
him, I breakfasted alone, and then strolled out to look after Freddy. I
found him sitting in the study, busily engaged in drawing the lease he
had mentioned to us the night before. On seeing m