Oh, what a cruel last night it was: no moon, no stars; such deep darkness that not one of the dear familiar objects in the garden was visible when I looked for them; such deep stillness that even my own movements about the room almost frightened me! I tried to lie down and sleep, but the sense of loneliness came again and quite overpowered me.

You will say I am old enough, at six-and-twenty, to have exerted more control over myself.

I hardly know how it happened, but I stole into Magdalen's room, just as I used to steal into it years and years ago, when we were children.

She was not in bed; she was sitting with her writing materials before her, thinking.

I said I wanted to be with her the last night; and she kissed me, and told me to lie down, and promised soon to follow me.