midnight
I once had it in my head -LRB- and I hinted it to thee * in a former -RRB- in case such a step should be necessary , to attempt to carry her off by surprise from the wood-house ; as it is remote from the dwelling-house . This , had I attempted , I should have certainly effected , by the help of the confraternity : and it would have been an action worthy of us all . -- But Joseph 's conscience , as he called it , stood in my way ; for he thought it must have been known to be done by his connivance . I could , I dare say , have overcome this scruple , as easily as I did many of the others , had I not depended at one time upon her meeting me at midnight or late hour -LSB- and , if she had , she never would have gone back -RSB- ; at other times , upon the cunning family 's doing my work for me , equally against their knowledge or their wills . * See Vol . I. Letter XXXV . For well I knew , that James and Arabella were determined never to leave off their foolish trials and provocations , till , by tiring her out , they had either made her Solmes 's wife , or guilty of some such rashness as should throw her for ever out of the favour of both her uncles ; though they had too much malice in their heads to intend service to me by their persecutions of her .