about eight o’clock in the
evening
A reckless gaiety had succeeded not the screwing up of one 's courage for the nonce , to mount a breach , or to lay an enemy 's frigate aboard , where the substratum of fear is present , although cased over by an energetic exertion of the will ; but an unnatural light-heartedness , for which account , ye philosophers , for I can not -- and this , too , amongst men who , although as steel in the field , yet whenever a common cold overtook them in quarters , or a small twinge of rheumatic pain , would , under other circumstances , have caudled and beflannelled themselves , and bored you for your sympathy , at no allowance , as they say . The major elect , that is , the senior captain , was in the chair ; as for the lieutenant-colonel 's vacancy , that was too high an aspiration for any man in the regiment . A stranger of rank , and interest , and money , would of course get that step , for the two deaths in the regimental staff made but one captain a major , as my neighbour on the left hand feelingly remarked . All was fun and joviality ; we had a capital dinner , and no allusion whatever , direct or indirect , was made to the prevailing mortal epidemic , until the surgeon came in , about eight o'clock in the evening . `` Sit down , doctor , '' said the president -- `` take some wine ; can recommend the Madeira , claret but so , so your health . '' The doctor bowed , and soon became as happy and merry as the rest ; so we carried on , until about ten o'clock , when the lights began to waltz a little , and propagate also , and I found I had got enough , or , peradventure , a little more than enough , when the senior captain rose , and walked very composedly out of the room -- but I noticed him pinch the doctor 's shoulder as he passed . The Medico thereupon stole quietly after him ; but we did not seem to miss either -- a young sub had usurped the deserted throne , and there we were all once more in full career , singing and bousing , and cracking .