five in the morning
The time came at last when the fevered mind began to cease from its perpetual wanderings ; when the weary brain , sorely enfeebled by its long interval of unnatural activity , dropped suddenly into a state of calm that was akin to apathy . The change came with an almost alarming suddenness . It was at the beginning of February , close upon the dead small hours of a bleak windy night , and Gilbert was keeping watch alone in the sick-room , while the professional nurse slept comfortably on the sofa in the sitting-room . It was his habit now to spend the early part of the night in such duty as this , and to go home to bed between four and five in the morning , at which time the nurse was ready to relieve guard . He had been listening to the dismal howling of the winds , threatening damage to neighbouring chimney-pots of rickety constitution , and thinking idly of the men that had come and gone amidst those old buildings , and how few amongst them all had left any mark behind them ; inclined to speculate too how many of them had been men capable of better work than they had done , only carelessly indifferent to the doing of it , like him who lay on that bed yonder , with one muscular arm , powerful even in its wasted condition , thrown wearily above his head , and an undefinable look , that seemed half pain , half fatigue , upon his haggard face . Suddenly , while Gilbert Fenton was meditating in this idle desultory manner , the sleeper awakened , looked full at him , and called him by his name . `` Gilbert , '' he said very quietly , `` is it really you ? ''