nearly four o'clock in the morning
-- now she sleeps ! It is well that thine eyes are closed in sleep ; for BEHOLD -- see ! -- the brightness without is disappearing ; sadness and gloom are settling on the face of nature ; the tranquil night is changing her aspect ; clouds are gathering , winds are moaning ; the moon is gone : -- but sleep on , sweet Kate -- sleep on , dreaming not of dark days before thee -- Oh , that thou couldst sleep on till the brightness returned ! * * * * * After having stood thus leaning against the window for nearly half an hour , Titmouse , heavily sighing , returned to bed -- but there he tossed about in wretched restlessness till nearly four o'clock in the morning . If he now and then sank into forgetfulness for a while , it was only to be harassed by the dreadful image of Mrs. Squallop , shouting at him , tearing his hair , cuffing him , flinging a pot of porter in his face , opening his boxes , tossing his clothes about , taking out his invaluable ornaments ; by Tag-rag kicking him out of the shop ; and Messrs. Quirk , Gammon , and Snap dashing past him in a fine carriage , with six horses , and paying no attention to him as he ran shouting and breathless after him ; Huckaback following , kicking and pinching him behind . These were the few little bits of different colored glass in a mental kaleidoscope , which , turned capriciously round , produced those innumerable fantastic combinations out of the simple and ordinary events of the day , which we call _ dreams _ -- tricks of the wild sisters Fancy , when sober Reason has left her seat for a while . But this is fitter for the Royal Society than the bedroom of Tittlebat Titmouse ; and I beg the reader 's pardon .