That wouldn’t let him close his eyes.

But when he heard a thundering knock,—says he,

“That’s, certainly, a messenger for me;—

Somebody ill, in the Brick House, no doubt;”—

Then mutter’d, hurrying on his dressing-gown,

“I wish my Ladies, out of town,

Chose more convenient times for crying out!”

Crow, in the dark, now, reached the stair-case head;

Shove, in the dark, was coming up to bed.

A combination of ideas flocking,