Nora, for her part, lay awake in a disturbance of her whole nature, which she could neither understand nor subdue! Nora had never read a poem, a novel, or a play in her life; she had no knowledge of the world; and no instructress but her old maiden sister. Therefore Nora knew no more of love than does the novice who has never left her convent! She could not comprehend the reason why after meeting with Herman Brudenell she had taken such a disgust at the rustic beaus who had hitherto pleased her; nor yet why her whole soul was so very strangely troubled; why at once she was so happy and so miserable; and, above all, why she could not speak of these things to her sister Hannah. She tossed about in feverish excitement. "What in the world is the matter with you, Nora? You are as restless as a kitten; what ails you?" asked Hannah. "Nothing," was the answer. Now everyone who has looked long upon life knows that of all the maladies, mental or physical, that afflict human nature, "nothing" is the most common, the most dangerous, and the most incurable! When you see a person preoccupied, downcast, despondent, and ask him, "What is the matter?" and he answers, "Nothing," be sure that it is something great, unutterable, or fatal! Hannah Worth knew this by instinct, and so she answered: "Nonsense, Nora! I know there is something that keeps you awake; what is it now?" "Really--and indeed it is nothing serious; only I am thinking over what we have seen to-day!" "Oh! but try to go to sleep now, my dear," said Hannah, as if satisfied. "I can't; but, Hannah, I say, are you and Reuben Gray engaged?" "Yes, dear." "How long have you been engaged?" "For more than twelve years, dear." "My--good--gracious--me--alive! Twelve years! Why on earth don't you get married, Hannah?" "He cannot afford it, dear; it takes everything he can rake and scrape to keep his mother and his little brothers and sisters, and even with all that they often want." "Well, then, why don't he let you off of your promise?" "Nora!--what! why we would no sooner think of breaking with each other than if we had been married, instead of being engaged all these twelve years!" "Well, then, when do you expect to be married?" "I do not know, dear; when his sisters and brothers are all grown up and off his hands, I suppose." "And that won't be for the next ten years--even if then! Hannah, you will be an elderly woman, and he an old man, before that!"