midnight
Both Fanny 's children had been ailing when she came , and this morning the doctor had pronounced it scarlet fever . Fanny had not undressed herself since Monday , nor slept , I thought , in the same time . So while we had been singing carols and wishing merry Christmas , the poor child had been waiting , and hoping that her husband or Edward , both of whom were on the tramp , would find for her and bring to her the model nurse , who had not yet appeared . But at midnight this unknown sister had not arrived , nor had either of the men returned . When I rang , Fanny had hoped I was one of them . Professional paragons , dear reader , are shy of scarlet fever . I told the poor child that it was better as it was .