about nine o'clock in the evening
A friend or Enemy as you Will , but loving Fair Play . '' `` Poh ! '' exclaimed Gammon , flinging it on the table contemptuously . Now , I may as well mention here , that about nine o'clock in the evening , Mr. Parkinson had brought to Crafty _ sure _ intelligence that a very zealous and influential person , who was entirely in the confidence of the enemy , had come to him a little while before , and candidly disclosed the very melancholy position of his -- the aforesaid communicant 's -- financial affairs ; and Mr. Parkinson happened to be in a condition to verify the truth of the man 's statement , that there was a writ out against him for £ 250 ; and that , unless he could meet it , he would have to quit the county before daybreak , and his very promising prospects in business would be utterly ruined . Mr. Parkinson knew these matters professionally ; and , in short , Crafty was given to understand , that so disgusted was Mr. M'Do 'em -- the gentleman in question -- with Whig principles -LRB- his inexorable creditor being a Whig -RRB- and practices , such as the bribery , treating , and corruption at that moment going on , that -- his conscience pricked him -- and -- ahem ! -- the poor penitent was ready to make all the amends in his power by discovering villany to its intended victims . Crafty , having felt the ground pretty safe underneath him , took upon himself to say , that Mr. M'Do 'em need be under no further apprehension as to his pecuniary liabilities ; but , in the mean while , he would certainly wish for a little _ evidence _ of the _ bona fides _ of his present conduct .