'Why is "Dover" underlined?' 'I do not know, little fool, no more than you. How can I tell what is passing in your oncle's head when he make that a mark?' 'Has it not a meaning, Madame?' 'How can you talk like that?' she answered, more in her old way. 'You are either mocking of me, or you are becoming truly a fool!' She rang the bell, called for our bill, saw our hostess; while I made a few hasty prepartions in my room. 'You need not look after the trunks--they will follow us all right. Let us go, cheaile--we 'av half an hour only to reach the train.' No one ever fussed like Madame when occasion offered. There was a cab at the door, into which she hurried me. I assumed that she would give all needful directions, and leaned back, very weary and sleepy already, though it was so early, listening to her farewell screamed from the cab-step, and seeing her black cloak flitting and flapping this way and that, like the wings of a raven disturbed over its prey. In she got, and away we drove through a glare of lamps, and shop-windows, still open; gas everywhere, and cabs, busses, and carriages, still thundering through the streets. I was too tired and too depressed to look at those things. Madame, on the contrary, had her head out of the window till we reached the station. 'Where are the rest of the boxes?' I asked, as Madame placed me in charge of her box and my bag in the office of the terminus. 'They will follow with Boots in another cab, and will come safe with us in this train. Mind those two, we weel bring in the carriage with us.' So into a carriage we got; in came Madame's box and my bag; Madame stood at the door, and, I think, frightened away intending passengers, by her size and shrillness. At last the bell rang her into her place, the door clapt, the whistle sounded, and we were off. CHAPTER LXI _OUR BED-CHAMBER_ I had passed a miserable night, and, indeed, for many nights had not had my due proportion of sleep. Still I sometimes fancy that I may have swallowed something in my tea that helped to make me so irresistibly drowsy. It was a very dark night--no moon, and the stars soon hid by the gathering clouds. Madame sat silent, and ruminating in her place, with her rugs about her. I, in my corner similarly enveloped, tried to keep awake. Madame plainly thought I was asleep already, for she stole a leather flask from her pocket, and applied it to her lips, causing an aroma of brandy. But it was vain struggling against the influence that was stealing over me, and I was soon in a profound and dreamless slumber. Madame awoke me at last, in a huge fuss. She had got out all our things and hurried them away to a close carriage which was awaiting us. It was still dark and starless. We got along the platform, I half asleep, the porter carrying our rugs, by the glare of a pair of gas-jets in the wall, and out by a small door at the end.