midnight
Then again , I had kept my word ; none of my fault , of course , if I had n't -- but I had ! -- that was a source of satisfaction . Now that I thought of it , I had , in all my twenty years of lecturing , failed only twice to reach the platform . In one instance a bridge was washed away , and in the other my special train -LRB- the price I paid for that train still keeps me hot against the Trusts -RRB- ran into a snowdrift and stayed there until after midnight , instead of delivering me on time , as agreed . I had arrived late , of course , many times , gone without my supper often , and more than once had appeared without the proper habiliments -- and I am particular about my dress coat and white waistcoat -- but only twice had the gas been turned off and the people turned out . Another time I had -- `` Sheffield ! Shef-fie-l-d !