'Ay,' returned Siegmund.

He went into the dining-room and dropped into his chair, with his head
between his hands. Vera followed him nervously.

'Will you have anything to eat?' she asked.

He looked up at the table, as if the supper laid there were curious and
incomprehensible. The delirious lifting of his eyelids showed the whole
of the dark pupils and the bloodshot white of his eyes. Vera held her
breath with fear. He sank his head again and said nothing. Vera sat down
and waited. The minutes ticked slowly off. Siegmund neither moved nor
spoke. At last the clock struck midnight. She was weary with sleep,
querulous with trouble.

'Aren't you going to bed?' she asked.

Siegmund heard her without paying any attention. He seemed only to half
hear. Vera waited awhile, then repeated plaintively: 'Aren't you going to bed, Father?' Siegmund lifted his head and looked at her. He loathed the idea of
having to move. He looked at her confusedly.

'Yes, I'm going,' he said, and his head dropped again. Vera knew he was
not asleep. She dared not leave him till he was in his bedroom. Again
she sat waiting.

'Father!' she cried at last.

He started up, gripping the arms of his chair, trembling.

'Yes, I'm going,' he said.

He rose, and went unevenly upstairs. Vera followed him close behind.

'If he reels and falls backwards he will kill me,' she thought, but he
did not fall. From habit he went into the bathroom. While trying to
brush his teeth he dropped the tooth-brush on to the floor.