twelve o'clock
Oh , you ca n't think how difficult it was to get it finished , but Robert was determined to go on ; he thought our chance was very good , because he had found some beautiful extracts , and translated others , and the pages really looked pretty and dainty . The manuscript had to be in London this morning ; if it missed the post last night , all our work would have been wasted , and at the last moment Lady Darcy took Rob away with her , and I was left with everything to finish . I _ may _ have slept a little bit the last two nights ; I did lie down for an hour or two , and I _ may _ have had a doze , but I do n't think so ! I wrote the last word this morning after the breakfast-bell had rung , and I made up the parcel at twelve o'clock . I thought of going out and posting it then ; of course , that is what I should have done , but , '' -- her voice trembled once more -- `` I was so tired ! I thought I would give it to the postman myself , and that would do just as well . I did n't put it with the letters because I was afraid someone would see the address and ask questions , and Rob had said that I was to keep it a secret until we knew whether we had won .