about five o'clock in the morning
To suppose that any man could display such _ bona fide _ ignorance as this official did in the foregoing , would be to form an incorrect and inadequate estimate of the human mind . The fact was that Van Stingey was a false , low , cruel man , whose soul , steeped in the sensuality of his past life , had lost all that was divine in its nature . His circumstances were so reduced by his crimes and dissipation , that , being `` too lazy to work , and ashamed to beg , '' he assumed first the guise of religion to gain popularity ; and when he had `` got religion , '' then the teachers of the stuff which they call by that noble name , to keep it respectable , procured him this office as a reward for his hypocrisy . This was the official who startled the inmates of our house of mourning about five o'clock in the morning , when , thrusting his head inside the door , he cried out , `` A corpse there , eh ? '' `` The Lord save us ! Who are you , or what brings you here this hour o ' night ? '' said old granny Doherty , suspecting him as `` nothing good . ''