midnight
Lady Lundie , Sir Patrick , and the surgeon , were all inveterate players , evenly matched . Smith and Jones -LRB- joining the game alternately -RRB- were aids to whist , exactly as they were aids to conversation . The same safe and modest mediocrity of style distinguished the proceedings of these two gentlemen in all the affairs of life . The time wore on to midnight . They went to bed late and they rose late at Windygates House . Under that hospitable roof , no intrusive hints , in the shape of flat candlesticks exhibiting themselves with ostentatious virtue on side-tables , hurried the guest to his room ; no vile bell rang him ruthlessly out of bed the next morning , and insisted on his breakfasting at a given hour . Life has surely hardships enough that are inevitable without gratuitously adding the hardship of absolute government , administered by a clock ?