about six in the
morning
said my lady , `` thou wast ever an impudent fellow : and many a vile roguery have I kept from my poor mother . -- Yet , to my knowledge , she thought you no saint . '' `` Ay , poor lady , '' continued he , `` she used now-and-then to catechize me ; and was _ sure _ I was not so good as I ought to be : -- ` For , son , ' she would cry , ` these late hours , these all night works , and to come home so _ sober _ can not be right.-I 'm not sure , if I were to know all , -LRB- and yet I 'm afraid of inquiring after your ways -RRB- whether I should not have reason to wish you were brought home in wine , rather than to come in so sober , and so late , as you do . ' `` Once , I remember , in the summer-time , I came home about six in the morning , and met the good lady unexpectedly by the garden back-door , of which I had a key to let myself in at all hours . I started , and would have avoided her : but she called me to her , and then I approached her with an air , ` What brings you , Madam , into the garden at so early an hour ? ' turning my face from her ; for I had a few scratches on my forehead -- with a thorn , or so -- which I feared she would be more inquisitive about than I cared she should . '' ` And what makes you , ' said she , ` so early here , Billy ?