It was a bitter cold night, and my bed-room fire had gone out. Except the rush-candle, in a pierced tin box, I had nothing to cheer the gloom of a very large apartment--the walls of which (now dotted all over by the melancholy rays of the rush-light, as they struggled through the holes of the box) were of dark-brown wainscoat--but one solitary wax taper. There lay coats, trousers, linen, books, papers, dressing-materials, in dire confusion, about the room. In despair I set me down at the foot of the bed, and contemplated the chaos around me. My energies were paralyzed by the scene. Had it been to gain a kingdom, I could not have thrown a glove into the portmanteau; so, resolving to defer the packing till the morrow, I got into bed. My slumbers were fitful--disturbed. Horrible dreams assailed me. Series of watches, each pointing to the hour of FOUR, passed slowly before me--then, time-pieces--dials, of a larger size--and at last, enormous steeple-clocks, all pointing to FOUR, FOUR, FOUR. "A change came o'er the spirit of my dream," and endless processions of watchmen moved along, each mournfully dinning in my ears, "Past four o'clock." At length I was attacked by night-mare. Methought I was an hourglass--old Father Time bestrode me--he pressed upon me with unendurable weight--fearfully and threateningly did wave his scythe above my head--he grinned at me, struck three blows, audible blows, with the handle of his scythe, on my breast, stooped his huge head, and shrieked in my ear-- "Vore o'clock, zur; I zay it be vore o'clock." "Well, I hear you." "But I doan't hear you. Vore o'clock, zur." "Very well, very well, that'll do." "Beggin' your pardon, but it woan't do, zur. 'Ee must get up--past vore zur." "The devil take you! will you--" "If you please, zur; but 'ee must get up. It be a good deal past vore--no use for 'ee to grumble, zur; nobody do like gettin' up at vore o'clock as can help it; but 'ee toald I to carl 'ee, and it bean't my duty to go till I hear 'ee stirrin' about the room. Good deal past vore, 'tis I assure 'ee, zur." And here he thundered away at the door; nor did he cease knocking till I was fairly up, and had shown myself to him, in order to satisfy him of the fact. "That'll do, zur; 'ee toald I to carl 'ee, and I hope I ha' carld 'ee proper_ly_."