twelve o'clock
They met every night , sitting later with the lengthening summer evenings , and every night , as by some tacit understanding , played the `` Areopagita '' suite before parting . At the opening bars of the _ Gagliarda _ the creaking of the chair occurred spontaneously with the utmost regularity . They seldom spoke even to one another of the subject ; but one night , when John was putting away his violin after a long evening 's music without having played the `` Areopagita , '' Mr. Gaskell , who had risen from the pianoforte , sat down again as by a sudden impulse and said -- `` Johnnie , do not put away your violin yet . It is near twelve o'clock and I shall get shut out , but I can not stop to-night without playing the _ Gagliarda _ . Suppose that all our theories of vibration and affinity are wrong , suppose that there really comes here night by night some strange visitant to hear us , some poor creature whose heart is bound up in that tune ; would it not be unkind to send him away without the hearing of that piece which he seems most to relish ? Let us not be ill-mannered , but humour his whim ; let us play the _ Gagliarda _ . '' They played it with more vigour and precision than usual , and the now customary sound of one taking his seat at once ensued .