four o'clock
Luckily the bobbie missed his stroke , and as I apologized , telling him I had St. Vitus 's dance and could not control my unhappy leg , accompanying the apology with a half sovereign -- both of which were accepted -- peace reigned , and I shortly had the bliss of seeing the whole sovereign ride by -- that is , I was told that the lady behind the parasol , which obscured everything but her elbow , was her Majesty the Queen . Nothing more of interest happened between this and the end of the procession , although the little spook in front occasionally turned and paid me a compliment which would have cost any material creature his life . But that night something of importance did happen , and it has been going on ever since . The unlovely creature turned up in my lodgings just as I was about to retire , and talked in his rasping voice until long after four o'clock . I ordered him out , and he declined to go . I struck at him , but it was like hitting smoke . `` All right , '' said I , putting on my clothes .