Chapter 11: Nox Alba

⁠​​​‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠Charles was tempted to deprive himself of sleep for the pleasure of bedabbling his pale silk stockings with dew, but vanity killed romance and the fresh light enchanted a still unruffled couch. So he flung his coat over a chair, and the heavy pockets chinked as they fell back against the taper legs. His prayers were all to rosy Aurora when the fragrant linen sheets flowed like water over his parch