midnight
In that same mansion -- in that very chamber -- what a volume of history had been told off into hours by the same voice that was now trembling in the air ! Many a governor had heard those midnight accents and longed to exchange his stately cares for slumber . And , as for mine host and Mr. Bela Tiffany and the old loyalist and me , we had babbled about dreams of the past until we almost fancied that the clock was still striking in a bygone century . Neither of us would have wondered had a hoop-petticoated phantom of Esther Dudley tottered into the chamber , walking her rounds in the hush of midnight as of yore , and motioned us to quench the fading embers of the fire and leave the historic precincts to herself and her kindred shades . But , as no such vision was vouchsafed , I retired unbidden , and would advise Mr. Tiffany to lay hold of another auditor , being resolved not to show my face in the Province House for a good while hence -- if ever . What a singular moment is the first one , when you have hardly begun to recollect yourself , after starting from midnight slumber ! By unclosing your eyes so suddenly you seem to have surprised the personages of your dream in full convocation round your bed , and catch one broad glance at them before they can flit into obscurity .