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and he added； 'Perhaps you were talking of things you did not wish
to be overheard？'
'I was talking only on business；' she said。
'Lizzy； be frank！' said the young man。 'If it was only on business；
why should anybody wish to listen to you？'
She looked curiously at him。 'What else do you think it could be；
then？'
'Wellthe only talk between a young woman and man that is likely to
amuse an eavesdropper。'
'Ah yes；' she said； smiling in spite of her preoccupation。 'Well；
my cousin Owlett has spoken to me about matrimony； every now and
then； that's true； but he was not speaking of it then。 I wish he
had been speaking of it； with all my heart。 It would have been much
less serious for me。'
'O Mrs。 Newberry！'
'It would。 Not that I should ha' chimed in with him； of course。 I
wish it for other reasons。 I am glad； Mr。 Stockdale； that you have
told me of that listener。 It is a timely warning； and I must see my
cousin again。'
'But don't go away till I have spoken；' said the minister。 'I'll
out with it at once； and make no more ado。 Let it be Yes or No
between us； Lizzy； please do！' And he held out his hand； in which
she freely allowed her own to rest； but without speaking。
'You mean Yes by that？' he asked； after waiting a while。
'You may be my sweetheart； if you will。'
'Why not say at once you will wait for me until I have a house and
can come back to marry you。'
'Because I am thinkingthinking of something else；' she said with
embarrassment。 'It all comes upon me at once； and I must settle one
thing at a time。'
'At any rate； dear Lizzy； you can assure me that the miller shall
not be allowed to speak to you except on business？ You have never
directly encouraged him？'
She parried the question by saying； 'You see； he and his party have
been in the habit of leaving things on my premises sometimes； and as
I have not denied him； it makes him rather forward。'
'Thingswhat things？'
'Tubsthey are called Things here。'
'But why don't you deny him； my dear Lizzy？'
'I cannot well。'
'You are too timid。 It is unfair of him to impose so upon you； and
get your good name into danger by his smuggling tricks。 Promise me
that the next time he wants to leave his tubs here you will let me
roll them into the street？'
She shook her head。 'I would not venture to offend the neighbours
so much as that；' said she； 'or do anything that would be so likely
to put poor Owlett into the hands of the excisemen。'
Stockdale sighed； and said that he thought hers a mistaken
generosity when it extended to assisting those who cheated the king
of his dues。 'At any rate； you will let me make him keep his
distance as your lover； and tell him flatly that you are not for
him？'
'Please not； at present；' she said。 'I don't wish to offend my old
neighbours。 It is not only Owlett who is concerned。'
'This is too bad；' said Stockdale impatiently。
'On my honour； I won't encourage him as my lover；' Lizzy answered
earnestly。 'A reasonable man will be satisfied with that。'
'Well； so I am；' said Stockdale； his countenance clearing。
CHAPTER IIITHE MYSTERIOUS GREATCOAT
Stockdale now began to notice more particularly a feature in the
life of his fair landlady； which he had casually observed but
scarcely ever thought of before。 It was that she was markedly
irregular in her hours of rising。 For a week or two she would be
tolerably punctual； reaching the ground…floor within a few minutes
of half…past seven。 Then suddenly she would not be visible till
twelve at noon； perhaps for three or four days in succession； and
twice he had certain proof that she did not leave her room till
half…past three in the afternoon。 The second time that this extreme
lateness came under his notice was on a day when he had particularly
wished to consult with her about his future movements； and he
concluded； as he always had done； that she had a cold； headache； or
other ailment； unless she had kept herself invisible to avoid
meeting and talking to him； which he could hardly believe。 The
former supposition was disproved； however； by her innocently saying；
some days later； when they were speaking on a question of health；
that she had never had a moment's heaviness； headache； or illness of
any kind since the previous January twelvemonth。
'I am glad to hear it；' said he。 'I thought quite otherwise。'
'What； do I look sickly？' she asked； turning up her face to show the
impossibility of his gazing on it and holding such a belief for a
moment。
'Not at all； I merely thought so from your being sometimes obliged
to keep your room through the best part of the day。'
'O； as for thatit means nothing；' she murmured； with a look which
some might have called cold； and which was the worst look that he
liked to see upon her。 'It is pure sleepiness； Mr。 Stockdale。'
'Never！'
'It is； I tell you。 When I stay in my room till half…past three in
the afternoon； you may always be sure that I slept soundly till
three； or I shouldn't have stayed there。'
'It is dreadful；' said Stockdale； thinking of the disastrous effects
of such indulgence upon the household of a minister； should it
become a habit of everyday occurrence。
'But then；' she said； divining his good and prescient thoughts； 'it
only happens when I stay awake all night。 I don't go to sleep till
five or six in the morning sometimes。'
'Ah； that's another matter；' said Stockdale。 'Sleeplessness to such
an alarming extent is real illness。 Have you spoken to a doctor？'
'O nothere is no need for doing thatit is all natural to me。'
And she went away without further remark。
Stockdale might have waited a long time to know the real cause of
her sleeplessness； had it not happened that one dark night he was
sitting in his bedroom jotting down notes for a sermon； which
occupied him perfunctorily for a considerable time after the other
members of the household had retired。 He did not get to bed till
one o'clock。 Before he had fallen asleep he heard a knocking at the
front door； first rather timidly performed； and then louder。 Nobody
answered it； and the person knocked again。 As the house still
remained undisturbed； Stockdale got out of bed； went to his window；
which overlooked the door； and opening it； asked who was there。
A young woman's voice replied that Susan Wallis was there； and that
she had come to ask if Mrs。 Newberry could give her some mustard to
make a plaster with； as her father was taken very ill on the chest。
The minister； having neither bell nor servant； was compelled to act
in person。 'I will call Mrs。 Newberry；' he said。 Partly dressing
himself； he went along the passage and tapped at Lizzy's door。 She
did not answer； and； thinking of her erratic habits in the matter of
sleep； he thumped the door persistently； when he discovered； by its
moving ajar under his knocking； that it had only been gently pushed
to。 As there was now a sufficient entry for the voice； he knocked
no longer； but said in firm tones； 'Mrs。 Newberry； you are wanted。'
The room was quite silent； not a breathing； not a rustle； came from
any part of it。 Stockdale now sent a positive shout through the
open space of the door： 'Mrs。 Newberry！'still no answer； or
movement of any kind within。 Then he heard sounds from the opposite
room； that of Lizzy's mother； as if she had been aroused by his
uproar though Lizzy had not； and was dressing herself hastily。
Stockdale softly closed the younger woman's door and went on to the
other； which was opened by Mrs。 Simpkins before he could reach it。
She was in her ordinary clothes； and had a light in her hand。
'What's the person calling about？' she said in alarm。
Stockdale told the girl's errand； adding seriously； 'I cannot wake
Mrs。 Newberry。'
'It is no matter；' said her mother。 'I can let the girl have what
she wants as well as my daughter。' And she came out of the room and
went downstairs。
Stockdale retired towards his own apartment； saying； however； to
Mrs。 Simpkins from the landing； as if on second thoughts； 'I suppose
there is nothing the matter with Mrs。 Newberry； that I could not
wake her？'
'O no；' said the old lady hastil