Besides, his lordship was nearly always asleep; and if he wasn't and did 'ear me, there was always something I could be doing in the library, sir." He spoke with eager, rather humble civility.
"Well, did you, as you went through the library, coming or going, hear Lord Loudwater snore ?" Hutchings knitted his brow, thinking; then he said: "I can't call to mind as I did, sir.

But, then, I wasn't giving him any attention.

I was thinking about other things altogether.

Of course, I went out quietly enough.

But that was habit." "That sounds as if you had not heard him snore--as if you thought that he was awake," said Mr.Flexen.
"I don't think I thought about him at all, sir, at the moment.