protected function _connection() {
		if ($this->_connection) {
			return $this->_connection;
		}
		$host = "{$this->_config['protocol']}://{$this->_config['host']}";

		if ($this->_connection = fsockopen($host, $this->_config['port'], $message, $code)) {
			return $this->_connection;
		}
		throw new NetworkException("Growl connection failed: (`{$code}`) `{$message}`.");
	}