“And until it is over I shall have no rest,” he continued. “There is a fever here.” He laid his hand against his heart.
“If you will go to your room you can have two or three hours of perfect quiet,” said Clara. “Lay your head on your pillow, and you will drop asleep immediately.”
“I wish I could take your advice, but I am the victim of insomnia; it has only come on lately. I did not like to tell you of it. I would give the world at this present moment for a couple of hours’ refreshing slumber.”
“Let me make some passes across your forehead—I know exactly how. You will soon sleep if I do so.”
“You mean that you want to mesmerize me?”
“Not exactly to mesmerize you, Luke—not to go as far as that. It would require a stronger woman than I am to mesmerize a man like you.”
He smiled at her—his slow, inscrutable smile.
“But I can put you to sleep. Let me try. Just stay quiet, and don’t resist me. Let yourself go. In ten minutes you will be asleep.”
“Can you limit the duration of my sleep?” he asked.
“Yes, you shall sleep for an hour, two hours, three hours. How long can you give yourself?”