midnight
`` You must come across the sea and dance at our wedding , Miss Skipwith . '' `` Ah , '' sighed Miss Skipwith , `` if you could but have waited for the establishment of my universal church , what a grand ceremonial your marriage might have been ! '' Miss Skipwith , though regretful , and inclined to take a dismal view of the marriage state and its responsibilities under the existing dispensation , was altogether friendly . She had a frugal supper of cold meat and salad , bread and cheese and cider , served in honour of Mr. Vawdrey , and they three sat till midnight talking happily -- Miss Skipwith of theology , the other two of themselves and the smiling future , and such an innocent forest life as Rosalind and Orlando may have promised themselves , when they were deep in love , and the banished duke 's daughter sighed for no wider kingdom than a shepherd 's hut in the woodland , with the lover of her choice . There were plenty of spare bedrooms at the manor house , but so bare and empty , so long abandoned of human occupants , as to be fit only for the habitation of mice and spiders , stray bat or wandering owl . So Roderick had to walk down the hill again to St. Helier 's , where he found hospitality at an hotel . He was up betimes , too happy to need much sleep , and at seven o'clock he and Vixen were walking in the dewy garden , planning the wonderful life they were to lead at Briarwood , and all the good they were to do .