midnight
And so Countess Fanny looked round . Kirby was doing the same . But he had turned right about , and appeared transfixed and like a royal beast angry , with his wound . If ever there was love at first sight , and a dreadful love , like a runaway mail-coach in a storm of wind and lightning at black midnight by the banks of a flooded river , which was formerly our comparison for terrible situations , it was when those two met . And , what ! you exclaim , Buccaneer Kirby full sixty-five , and Countess Fanny no more than three and twenty , a young beauty of the world of fashion , courted by the highest , and she in love with him ! Go and gaze at one of our big ships coming out of an engagement home with all her flags flying and her crew manning the yards .