ten o'clock
Indeed , I began at length to question within myself -- for the subject naturally resolved itself into two heads ; firstly , whether Taffy 's master might not have had a bee in his bonnet ; or , secondly , whether he was a person not over-scrupulous regarding the matter of truth . As for James , he declared him a nonsuch , and said , that although poor , he would not have hesitated to have given him sixpence for a lock of his hair , just to keep beside him for a keepsake ; -LRB- did anybody ever hear such nonsense ? -RRB- Before parting , he insisted that I should bear with him , till he read me over the story he had just finished as I came in , and which had been running in his noddle . At such a late hour , for it was now wearing on to wellnigh ten o'clock , I was not just clear about listening to anything bloody ; but not to vex the old boy , who , I am sure , would not have sleeped a wink through the night for disappointment , had he not got a free breast made of it , I at long and last consented -- provided his story was not too long . My chief particularity on this point , as I should mention , was , that it was past Benjie 's bedtime , and the callant had a hoast , which required all his mother 's as well as my own good doctoring -- having cost us two bottles of Dantzic black beer , with little effect ; besides not a few other recommendations of friends and skielly acquaintances . It was best , therefore , to consent with a good grace ; so , after clearing his windpipes , James wiped the eyes of his spectacles with the corner of his red-check pocket-napkin ; and thereafter fixing them on his beak , he commenced preaching away in grand style at some queer outlandish stuff , which fairly baffled my gumption . I must confess , however , both in fairness to Taffy and to James , that , as I had been up since five in the morning -LRB- having pawned my word to send home Duncan Imrie , the heel-cutter 's new duffle great-coat by breakfast time , as he had to go into the Edinburgh leather-market by eleven -RRB- , my een were gathering straws ; and it was only at the fearsome parts that I could for half a moment keep them sundry .