But he was pained and surprised, nevertheless, after twenty minutes' discourse (in which he proved Sophia, and Sophia alone, to be responsible for the disasters of the day), to find that she had dropped asleep.

He looked down for a minute or so upon her closed lids, then moved to the rail of the balcony and ejaculated under his breath: "O woman--woman! Wise art thou as the dove, and about as harmless as the serpent!" He considered the heavens for some moments, and added with some tartness but with a far-off look at the stars, as though aiming the remark at the late Mrs.Runacles: "Her charm, at any rate, is not derived from her mother!" He turned abruptly and considered her as she slept under the stars.
Stooping after a minute or two, and lifting her very gently, he bore her into the house and down to her own room.

As they descended the ladder from the attic, she stirred and opened her eyes drowsily: "You will bring Tristram back ?" she murmured, but so softly that he had to bend his head to catch the syllables.
Her eyes closed again before he could answer.

He carried her to her bed and laid her upon it; then, after waiting a while to assure himself that she was fast asleep, retraced his steps softly to the little balcony.
He was pacing it, round and round, like a caged beast, when the stars grew faint and the silver ripple of the dayspring broke over the sea.
For two hours and more he had been thinking hard, and he rested his elbows on the balcony and paused for a minute or two to watch the red ball of the sun as it heaved above the waters.

To the north, beyond the roofs of Harwich, he saw the lights of the royal squadron still clear in the grey dawn.