About midnight
Too tired to keep out of even such an uninviting bed , I flung off my clothes , and with my moldy tweeds for only covering I laid me down , but not to sleep . The misery of it ! for although my body was warm -- too warm , in fact -- the wind blew on my face and bare feet and legs , and made it impossible to sleep . About midnight , I was just falling into a doze when a sound as of a person coming with a series of jumps into the room disturbed me ; and starting up I was horrified to see , sitting on the floor , a great beast much too big for a dog , with large , erect ears . He was intently watching me , his round eyes shining like a pair of green phosphorescent globes . Having no weapon , I was at the brute 's mercy , and was about to utter a loud shout to summon assistance , but as he sat so still I refrained , and began even to hope that he would go quietly away . Then he stood up , went back to the door and sniffed audibly at it ; and thinking that he was about to relieve me of his unwelcome presence , I dropped my head on the pillow and lay perfectly still .