midnight
''' repeated Nicholas . ``` Who calls so loud ? ''' cried Smike . Thus they continued to ask each other who called so loud , over and over again ; and when Smike had that by heart Nicholas went to another sentence , and then to two at a time , and then to three , and so on , until at midnight poor Smike found to his unspeakable joy that he really began to remember something about the text . Early in the morning they went to it again , and Smike , rendered more confident by the progress he had already made , got on faster and with better heart . As soon as he began to acquire the words pretty freely , Nicholas showed him how he must come in with both hands spread out upon his stomach , and how he must occasionally rub it , in compliance with the established form by which people on the stage always denote that they want something to eat . After the morning 's rehearsal they went to work again , nor did they stop , except for a hasty dinner , until it was time to repair to the theatre at night .