noon
I shot Sir Rumford in the leg , amidst the tears of joy of my uncle , who accompanied me to the ground ; and I promise you that none of the young gentlemen questioned the authenticity of my pedigree , or laughed at my Irish crown again . What a delightful life did we now lead ! I knew I was born a gentleman , from the kindly way in which I took to the business : as business it certainly is . For though it SEEMS all pleasure , yet I assure any low-bred persons who may chance to read this , that we , their betters , have to work as well as they : though I did not rise until noon , yet had I not been up at play until long past midnight ? Many a time have we come home to bed as the troops were marching out to early parade ; and oh ! it did my heart good to hear the bugles blowing the reveille before daybreak , or to see the regiments marching out to exercise , and think that I was no longer bound to that disgusting discipline , but restored to my natural station . I came into it at once , and as if I had never done anything else all my life .