“Oh, John!” exclaimed his mother.
“Not a wink all night long,” added John. “I can’t think what was the matter with me.”
Susannah, then stooping to take the sugar-basin out of the side-board, rose, turned sharply round and fixed her eyes on John. So curious an expression was on her face that I could but notice it.
“Do you not think it was the noise, sir?” she said to him. “I knew that room would be too noisy for you.”
“Why, the room was as quiet as possible,” he answered. “A few carriages rolled by last night—and I liked to hear them; but that was all over before midnight; and I have heard none this morning.”
“Well, sir, I’m sure you would be more comfortable in a backroom,” contended Susannah.
“It was a strange bed,” said John. “I shall sleep all the sounder to-night.”
Breakfast was half over when John found he had left his watch upstairs, on the drawers. I went to fetch it.
The door was open, and I stepped to the drawers, which stood just inside. Miss Gay and Susannah were making the bed and talking, too busy to see or hear me. A lot of things lay on the white cloth, and at first I could not see the watch.
“He declares he has not slept at all; not at all,” Susannah was saying with emphasis. “If you had only seconded me yesterday, Harriet, they need not have had this room. But you never made a word of objection; you gave in at once.”