seven o'clock in the morning
He did not touch the dinner which he found laid for him on his return , but sat on the sofa , absorbed in thought , for nearly an hour : when he suddenly rang the bell , ordered his clothes to be instantly got ready for travelling , and his bill made out . He then went and secured a place in that night 's mail , which was starting for town at half-past eight o'clock . At that hour he quitted Brighton , being the only inside passenger -- a circumstance which gave him an ample opportunity for reflection , and of which doubtless he availed himself -- at all events , certain it is , that he closed not his eyes in sleep during the whole of the journey . Greatly to the surprise of his laundress , he made his appearance at his chambers between six and seven o'clock in the morning , rousing her from bed . He had thus , it will be observed , reached town contemporaneously with his own letters ; and as all the appointments which he had made , were for the day after that of his arrival , he had secured a twenty-four hours ' freedom from interruption of any sort , and resolved to avail himself of it , by keeping within doors the whole of the time , his laundress denying him , as usual , to any one who might call . He asked her if she had seen or heard of the atrocious advertisement which had appeared in yesterday 's paper ? She replied , in tears , that she had ; and added , that no doubt to that circumstance were to be attributed the calls made yesterday from morning to night -- an announcement which seemed to heighten the excitement under which Mr. Gammon was evidently laboring .