When the church clock struck, when any other sound stirred, when a little mouse familiar to her chamber--an intruder for which she would never permit Fanny to lay a trap--came rattling amongst the links of her locket-chain, her one ring, and another trinket or two on the toilet-table, to nibble a bit of biscuit laid ready for it, she looked up, recalled momentarily to the real. Then she said half aloud, as if deprecating the accusation of some unseen and unheard monitor, "I am not cherishing love dreams; I am only thinking because I cannot sleep. 
When the church clock struck, a little mouse familiar to her chamber - an intruder for which she would never permit Fanny to lay a trap - came rattling amongst the trinkets on the dressing-table, to nibble a bit of biscuit laid ready for it. Then Caroline looked up, recalled to the real world, and said half aloud, as if to some unseen accuser:
"I am not cherishing love dreams; I am only thinking because I cannot sleep. 