midnight
She felt like an actress who may in a few minutes be called on the stage , without knowing her part . This was painfully unlike love , and the poor girl feared it would be her conscientious duty to dismiss him -- most gently , of course ; and perhaps , should he be impetuous and picturesque , relent enough to let him hope , and so bring about a happy postponement of the question . Her father had been to a neighbouring town on business with Mr. Tinman . He knocked at her door at midnight ; and she , in dread of she knew not what -- chiefly that the Hour of the Scene had somehow struck -- stepped out to him trembling . He was alone . She thought herself the most childish of mortals in supposing that she could have been summoned at midnight to declare her sentiments , and hardly noticed his gloomy depression . He asked her to give him five minutes ; then asked her for a kiss , and told her to go to bed and sleep .