four o'clock in the
morning
Her miserable passage through this life , the weakness of her character and the vileness of her sins were shown to her in a hideous magnification . She was exhibited to herself like an insect in a crystal , and she perceived the remotest antennae of her being . One night it occurred to her that she might ring for Merat and send her to the chemist 's for a sleeping draught . But it was four o'clock in the morning , and she did not like to impose such a task on her maid . Moreover , she might get to sleep a little later on , so she wrote on a piece of paper that Merat was not to come to her room until she rang for her , and she lay down and folded her arms , and once more began to count the sheep through the gate . But that night sleep seemed further than ever from her eyes , and at eight she was obliged to ring . `` Merat , I have not closed my eyes all night . ''