four o'clock in the morning
`` He 's a very young gentleman , sir , '' said Mrs. Medley , in vague defense of her top room . `` And it 's highly improbable , '' said Garnet , `` that he will ever grow old , if he repeats his last night 's performance . I have no wish to shed blood wantonly , but there are moments when one must lay aside one 's personal prejudices , and act for the good of the race . A man who hums patriotic songs at four o'clock in the morning does n't seem to me to fit into the scheme of universal happiness . So you will mention it to him , wo n't you ? '' `` Very well , sir , '' said Mrs. Medley , placidly . On the strength of the fact that he wrote for the newspapers and had published two novels , Mrs. Medley regarded Mr. Garnet as an eccentric individual who had to be humored .