"I don't want to hear anything of TOM now," said I; for suddenly I felt as if I could have--well, I don't know what; but I _did_ for the minute almost hate the man. "He goes very early to-morrow. By the first coach, love. I've promised to see him off." "How very kind of you, FRED;" and I could almost have cried, he seemed as if it was so easy for him to try to deceive me. "Going to see him off? Then--for it's very late; for my part, I thought the man would never go--then you'd better go to sleep, FRED; that you may be up. Otherwise you'll be very tired, dear; very tired." "Think so?" said FRED, trying to be cool: for I knew it was only trying. "Think so?" "I'm sure so," said I, worried and restless and vexed: not that I stirred. "Well, then, love, good night," said FRED. "Good night," said I, very short; though I felt as if my heart would break. I lay and listened, with the door-key under my pillow; and my pillow well under my shoulders. That key I was determined should never leave me: I'd make sure of _that_, and I grasped it to be certain it was there. Then I listened again. He was not asleep; I was sure of that; though he lay as still as any baby, and tried to seem asleep. Very well, thought I; very well; you shall not outwake me: no--I'll watch like any owl. At least like any guardian spirit. And to think that FRED--my own FREDERICK, with one heart between us, as he's so often said--could lie there; yes, by my very side, and have a secret and keep it from me--well, I did begin to think that dear Mamma was right; and I've heard her say she'd never trust dear Papa further than she could see him--not always that. At last he slept.--No; he didn't. Well, I never thought he could have such art. But perhaps he suspected my thoughts; imagined I was watching him! When this entered my head, I determined to affect sleep myself; and so see which of us could do it the best. So I settled myself and--again being sure of the key; yes, there it was--safe enough--and began to appear to go to sleep. In a little while, I had so beautifully deceived him that he was fast--fast as a church. --It couldn't have been above five minutes, but I had dozed off; and woke with such a start!--Almost instinctively I placed my hand under the pillow; the key was safe. "What's the matter, LOTTY? Dreaming?"--said FRED; for I had either awakened him, or he was awake all the time. "What's it about?" he asked. "Nothing in particular," said I, "good night, love; or you'll be too late for MR. TRUEPENNY." At the word, I thought I heard FRED sigh--just gently sigh--and the sound went like a dagger through me!