six in the
morning
John , she said , had been ailing of late with nervousness and insomnia . On Wednesday , two days before the date of her letter , he had suffered all day from a strange restlessness , which increased after they had retired for the evening . He could not sleep and had dressed again , telling her he would walk a little in the night air to compose himself . He had not returned till near six in the morning , and then was so deadly pale and seemed so exhausted that she insisted on his keeping to his bed till she could get medical advice . The doctors feared that he had been attacked by some strange form of malarial fever , and said he needed much care . Our anxiety was , however , at least temporarily relieved by the receipt of later tidings which spoke of John 's recovery ; but November drew to a close without any definite mention of their return having reached us . That month is always , I think , a dreary one in the country .