noon
He had to wait sitting on a greasy chair when he could no longer stand , till case after case was gone through , and when he finally had a hearing and applied for a warrant to search for his daughter in Delavie House , there was much surprise and reluctance to put such an insult on a lady of quality in favour at Court . On his giving his reasons on oath for believing the young lady to be there , the grounds of his belief seemed to shrink away , so that the three magistrates held consultation whether the warrant could be granted . Finally , after eying him all over , and asking him where he had served , one of them , who had the air of having been in the army , told him that in consideration of his being a gentleman of high respectability who had served his country , they granted what he asked , being assured that he would not make the accusation lightly . The reforms made by Fielding had not yet begun , everybody had too much work , and the poor Major had still some time to wait before an officer -- tipstaff , as he was called -- could accompany him , so that it was past noon when , off in the Bowstead carriage again , they went along the Strand , to a high-walled court belonging to one of the old houses of the nobility , most of which had perished in the fire of London . There was a double-doored gateway , and after much thundering in vain , at which the tipstaff , a red-nosed old soldier , waxed very irate , the old woman came out in curtseying , crying , frightened humility , declaring that they would find no one there -- they might look if they would . So they drove over the paved road , crossing the pitched pebbles , the door was unbarred , but no Aurelia sprang into her father 's arms . Only a little terrier came barking out into the dismal paved hall .