nearly midday
Be this as it may , my sleep -LRB- when , at length , after the excitement I had undergone , sleep condescended to visit me , which was not until , contrary to all the rules of good breeding , Somnus had allowed me to call upon him repeatedly in vain -RRB- was disturbed by all sorts and kinds of visions . Lawlesses innumerable , attended by shoals of top-booted shrimps -- the visionary shrimp being a sort of compromise between the boy so called and the real article -- drove impossible dog-carts drawn by quadrupeds whose heads and necks bore a striking resemblance to the waltz-loving Diana Clapperton , up and down ball-rooms , to the unspeakable terror of squadrons of turbaned old ladies . Deafening peals of bells , rung by troops of Freddy ColeMEN -LRB- which I take to be the correct plural of Coleman -RRB- , were rousing night-capped nations from their slumbers in alarm , to whom flocks of frightened mayors were bleating forth bewildered orders , which resulted in perplexing everybody ; and through it all , mixed up and combined with everything , the pale interesting face of Clara Saville , ~ 138 ~ ~ characterised by an expression of the deepest sadness , gazed at me reproachfully out of its large trustful eyes , and rendered me intensely miserable . From dreams such as these I was not sorry to be aroused by the sun shining brightly through my window-shutter ; and , on consulting my watch , I found , somewhat to my surprise , that I had slept till nearly midday . On reaching the breakfast-room my first inquiry was for Lawless , in reply to which , I was informed that he had returned -LRB- on the fire-engine -RRB- about half an hour after I came in ; that immediately upon his arrival he had called for unlimited supplies of rum , lemons , and other suitable ingredients , wherewith he manufactured a monster brewing of punch in a washing-tub for the benefit of the firemen , with whom he had somehow contrived to establish the most amicable relations ; he then assisted in discussing the beverage he had prepared , which appeared to produce no particular effects until , wishing to rise to return thanks when they drank his health , he suddenly lost his balance , and being carried to bed by the waiter and boots , had not yet reappeared . Not liking to disturb him , I breakfasted alone , and then strolled out to look after Freddy . I found him sitting in the study , busily engaged in drawing the lease he had mentioned to us the night before .