What was passing in the world, in the town, or even in the next street, was to me faint as dreams.
At dinner-time I rose, went down-stairs, and waited for my father; waited one, two, three hours.

It was very strange.

He never by any chance overstayed his time, without sending a message home.

So after some consideration as to whether I dared encroach upon his formal habits so much, and after much advice from Jael, who betrayed more anxiety than was at all warranted by the cause she assigned, viz.

the spoiled dinner, I despatched Jem Watkins to the tan-yard to see after his master.
He came back with ill news.