It was understandable that on my first night at Perrivale Court I should find that sleep evaded me.

Joao closed his eyes, lay back into his seat, but deep sleep evaded him.

Soon, he was breathing deeply, but sleep evaded Lucilla.

She was exhausted by a wearying day, yet for a long while sleep evaded her.

Rachel sighed and tried to catch another hour's shut-eye; but sleep was evading her.

Near midnight, with sleep still evading him, it occurred to him that there was no point in doing things by halves.

Again he turned, wondering why sleep evaded him.

If sleep evaded him much longer he would get up and consult the Saanti.

Ms. Rubin, who said that a truly good sleep has evaded her for 20 years, is clearly in the latter category.

He had piddled in his chamberpot, then returned to his bed, only to find that sleep evaded him.