Mattersbeinginthisadvancingstate，Stockdalewasrathersurprisedonecloudyevening，whilesittinginhisroom，athearingherspeakinlowtonesofexpostulationtosomeoneatthedoor。Itwasnearlydark，buttheshutterswerenotyetclosed，northecandleslighted；andStockdalewastemptedtostretchhisheadtowardsthewindow。Hesawoutsidethedoorayoungmaninclothesofawhitishcolour，anduponreflectionjudgedtheirwearertobethewell-builtandratherhandsomemillerwholivedbelow。Themiller’svoicewasalternatelylowandfirm，andsometimesitreachedthelevelofpositiveentreaty；butwhatthewordswereStockdalecouldinnowayhear。
　　Beforethecolloquyhadended，theminister’sattentionwasattractedbyasecondincident。OppositeLizzy’shomegrewaclumpoflaurels，formingathickandpermanentshade。Oneofthelaurelboughsnowquiveredagainstthelightbackgroundofsky，andinamomenttheheadofamanpeeredout，andremainedstill。Heseemedtobealsomuchinterestedintheconversationatthedoor，andwasplainlylingeringtheretowatchandlisten。HadStockdalestoodinanyotherrelationtoLizzythanthatofalover，hemighthavegoneoutandinvestigatedthemeaningofthis:butbeingasyetbutanunprivilegedally，hedidnothingmorethanstandupandshowhimselfagainstthefirelight，whereuponthelistenerdisappeared，andLizzyandthemillerspokeinlowertones。
　　Stockdalewasmadesouneasybythecircumstance，thatassoonasthemillerwasgone，hesaid，’Mrs。Newberry，areyouawarethatyouwerewatchedjustnow，andyourconversationheard？’
　　’When？’shesaid。
　　’Whenyouweretalkingtothatmiller。Amanwaslookingfromthelaurel-treeasjealouslyasifhecouldhaveeatenyou。’
　　Sheshowedmoreconcernthanthetriflingeventseemedtodemand，andheadded，’Perhapsyouweretalkingofthingsyoudidnotwishtobeoverheard？’
　　’Iwastalkingonlyonbusiness，’shesaid。
　　’Lizzy，befrank！’saidtheyoungman。’Ifitwasonlyonbusiness，whyshouldanybodywishtolistentoyou？’
　　Shelookedcuriouslyathim。’Whatelsedoyouthinkitcouldbe，then？’
　　’Well——theonlytalkbetweenayoungwomanandmanthatislikelytoamuseaneavesdropper。’
　　’Ahyes，’shesaid，smilinginspiteofherpreoccupation。’Well，mycousinOwletthasspokentomeaboutmatrimony，everynowandthen，that’strue；buthewasnotspeakingofitthen。Iwishhehadbeenspeakingofit，withallmyheart。Itwouldhavebeenmuchlessseriousforme。’
　　’OMrs。Newberry！’
　　’Itwould。NotthatIshouldha’chimedinwithhim，ofcourse。I
　　wishitforotherreasons。Iamglad，Mr。Stockdale，thatyouhavetoldmeofthatlistener。Itisatimelywarning，andImustseemycousinagain。’
　　’Butdon’tgoawaytillIhavespoken，’saidtheminister。’I’lloutwithitatonce，andmakenomoreado。LetitbeYesorNobetweenus，Lizzy；pleasedo！’Andheheldouthishand，inwhichshefreelyallowedherowntorest，butwithoutspeaking。
　　’YoumeanYesbythat？’heasked，afterwaitingawhile。
　　’Youmaybemysweetheart，ifyouwill。’
　　’WhynotsayatonceyouwillwaitformeuntilIhaveahouseandcancomebacktomarryyou。’
　　’BecauseIamthinking——thinkingofsomethingelse，’shesaidwithembarrassment。’Itallcomesuponmeatonce，andImustsettleonethingatatime。’
　　’Atanyrate，dearLizzy，youcanassuremethatthemillershallnotbeallowedtospeaktoyouexceptonbusiness？Youhaveneverdirectlyencouragedhim？’
　　Sheparriedthequestionbysaying，’Yousee，heandhispartyhavebeeninthehabitofleavingthingsonmypremisessometimes，andasIhavenotdeniedhim，itmakeshimratherforward。’
　　’Things——whatthings？’
　　’Tubs——theyarecalledThingshere。’
　　’Butwhydon’tyoudenyhim，mydearLizzy？’
　　’Icannotwell。’
　　’Youaretootimid。Itisunfairofhimtoimposesouponyou，andgetyourgoodnameintodangerbyhissmugglingtricks。Promisemethatthenexttimehewantstoleavehistubshereyouwillletmerollthemintothestreet？’
　　Sheshookherhead。’Iwouldnotventuretooffendtheneighbourssomuchasthat，’saidshe，’ordoanythingthatwouldbesolikelytoputpoorOwlettintothehandsoftheexcisemen。’
　　Stockdalesighed，andsaidthathethoughthersamistakengenerositywhenitextendedtoassistingthosewhocheatedthekingofhisdues。’Atanyrate，youwillletmemakehimkeephisdistanceasyourlover，andtellhimflatlythatyouarenotforhim？’
　　’Pleasenot，atpresent，’shesaid。’Idon’twishtooffendmyoldneighbours。ItisnotonlyOwlettwhoisconcerned。’
　　’Thisistoobad，’saidStockdaleimpatiently。
　　’Onmyhonour，Iwon’tencouragehimasmylover，’Lizzyansweredearnestly。’Areasonablemanwillbesatisfiedwiththat。’
　　’Well，soIam，’saidStockdale，hiscountenanceclearing。
　　Stockdalenowbegantonoticemoreparticularlyafeatureinthelifeofhisfairlandlady，whichhehadcasuallyobservedbutscarcelyeverthoughtofbefore。Itwasthatshewasmarkedlyirregularinherhoursofrising。Foraweekortwoshewouldbetolerablypunctual，reachingtheground-floorwithinafewminutesofhalf-pastseven。Thensuddenlyshewouldnotbevisibletilltwelveatnoon，perhapsforthreeorfourdaysinsuccession；andtwicehehadcertainproofthatshedidnotleaveherroomtillhalf-pastthreeintheafternoon。Thesecondtimethatthisextremelatenesscameunderhisnoticewasonadaywhenhehadparticularlywishedtoconsultwithherabouthisfuturemovements；andheconcluded，ashealwayshaddone，thatshehadacold，headache，orotherailment，unlessshehadkeptherselfinvisibletoavoidmeetingandtalkingtohim，whichhecouldhardlybelieve。Theformersuppositionwasdisproved，however，byherinnocentlysaying，somedayslater，whentheywerespeakingonaquestionofhealth，thatshehadneverhadamoment’sheaviness，headache，orillnessofanykindsincethepreviousJanuarytwelvemonth。
　　’Iamgladtohearit，’saidhe。’Ithoughtquiteotherwise。’
　　’What，doIlooksickly？’sheasked，turningupherfacetoshowtheimpossibilityofhisgazingonitandholdingsuchabeliefforamoment。
　　’Notatall；Imerelythoughtsofromyourbeingsometimesobligedtokeepyourroomthroughthebestpartoftheday。’
　　’O，asforthat——itmeansnothing，’shemurmured，withalookwhichsomemighthavecalledcold，andwhichwastheworstlookthathelikedtoseeuponher。’Itispuresleepiness，Mr。Stockdale。’
　　’Never！’
　　’Itis，Itellyou。WhenIstayinmyroomtillhalf-pastthreeintheafternoon，youmayalwaysbesurethatIsleptsoundlytillthree，orIshouldn’thavestayedthere。’
　　’Itisdreadful，’saidStockdale，thinkingofthedisastrouseffectsofsuchindulgenceuponthehouseholdofaminister，shoulditbecomeahabitofeverydayoccurrence。
　　’Butthen，’shesaid，divininghisgoodandprescientthoughts，’itonlyhappenswhenIstayawakeallnight。Idon’tgotosleeptillfiveorsixinthemorningsometimes。’
　　’Ah，that’sanothermatter，’saidStockdale。’Sleeplessnesstosuchanalarmingextentisrealillness。Haveyouspokentoadoctor？’
　　’Ono——thereisnoneedfordoingthat——itisallnaturaltome。’
　　Andshewentawaywithoutfurtherremark。
　　Stockdalemighthavewaitedalongtimetoknowtherealcauseofhersleeplessness，haditnothappenedthatonedarknighthewassittinginhisbedroomjottingdownnotesforasermon，whichoccupiedhimperfunctorilyforaconsiderabletimeaftertheothermembersofthehouseholdhadretired。Hedidnotgettobedtilloneo’clock。Beforehehadfallenasleepheheardaknockingatthefrontdoor，firstrathertimidlyperformed，andthenlouder。Nobodyansweredit，andthepersonknockedagain。Asthehousestillremainedundisturbed，Stockdalegotoutofbed，wenttohiswindow，whichoverlookedthedoor，andopeningit，askedwhowasthere。
　　Ayoungwoman’svoicerepliedthatSusanWalliswasthere，andthatshehadcometoaskifMrs。Newberrycouldgivehersomemustardtomakeaplasterwith，asherfatherwastakenveryillonthechest。
　　Theminister，havingneitherbellnorservant，wascompelledtoactinperson。’IwillcallMrs。Newberry，’hesaid。Partlydressinghimself；hewentalongthepassageandtappedatLizzy’sdoor。Shedidnotanswer，and，thinkingofhererratichabitsinthematterofsleep，hethumpedthedoorpersistently，whenhediscovered，byitsmovingajarunderhisknocking，thatithadonlybeengentlypushedto。Astherewasnowasufficiententryforthevoice，heknockednolonger，butsaidinfirmtones，’Mrs。Newberry，youarewanted。’