midnight
The thousand pounds shall be placed to your credit at once . What next ? '' `` On the night of the ball I should like you to have three or four expert shorthand writers here ; I do n't know how many will be necessary -- you understand more about that than I do ; but it is my intention to dictate the report right along as fast as I can talk until it is finished , and I do n't wish to be stopped or interrupted , so I want the best stenographers you have ; they are to relieve one another just as if they were taking down a parliamentary speech . The men had better be in readiness at midnight ; I shall be here as soon after that as possible . If you will kindly run over their type-written MS. before it goes to the compositors , I will glance at the proofs when I have finished dictating . '' `` Then you hope to attend the ball yourself . '' `` Perhaps . ''