about midnight
I seized all the _ toccatas _ and _ fugues _ which I had so laboriously carpentered together -LRB- as well as forty-five Variations on a Thema in Canon , which the organist had composed for me , and presented to me in a beautifully written MS. -RRB- , and shied the whole boiling of them into the fire . I laughed sardonically as this mass of double counterpoint crackled and blazed , and went sparkling out into ashes . Then I sat down to the instrument , and tried , first to imitate the guitar , and then to play , and next to sing , the melodies which I had heard the sisters execute . At last , about midnight , my uncle came out of his bedroom crying , `` For the love of heaven stop that caterwauling , be off to your bed , and let 's try to get some sleep , '' with which he blew out the lights and left me in the dark . I had nothing for it but obey ; but in my dreams I thought I had solved the secret of song , and was singing the `` Sento l'Amica Speme '' in the most exquisite style myself . '' ` Next morning my uncle had got together everybody who could play on string or wind instruments , to a rehearsal in the concert-room , and a proud man he felt himself to be able to turn out such a fine show of performers . The rehearsal was anything but a success , however .