midnight
It was evident to Wilton , that whatever was the enterprise in which Lord Sherbrooke and Green were engaged , it was one which , without absolutely wanting confidence in him , they were anxious to conceal from his knowledge ; and , to say truth , he was by no means sorry that such should be the case . He knew Lord Sherbrooke too well to hope that any remonstrance would affect him , and he was therefore glad not to be made a partaker of any secret regarding transactions which he believed to be dangerous , and yet could not prevent . In regard to Green too , there were particular feelings in his bosom which made him anxious to avoid any further knowledge of that most hazardous course of life in which he was evidently engaged ; for he could not shut his eyes to what that course of life really was . Although , as we have already said , at that period the resource of the King 's Highway had been adopted by very different people from those who even ten or twenty years afterwards trafficked thereon : though many a man of high education , gallant courage , and polished manners , ay , even of high birth , cast from his station by the changes and misfortunes of the day -- like parts of a fine building thrown down by an earthquake , and turned to viler purposes -- sought the midnight road as their only means of support : nay , though there were even some names afterwards restored to the peerage , which are supposed to have been well known amongst the august body of traffickers in powder and lead : yet Wilton could not but feel grieved that any one in whom he felt an interest should be tempted or driven to such an expedient , and at all events , he thought that the less he knew upon the subject the better . That , however , which struck him as the most strange , was to find two beings such as those who were now left alone with him , graceful , beautiful , gentle , high-toned in manners , distinguished in appearance , fitted to mingle with the highest society , and adorn the highest rank , cognizant of , if not taking part in , things so dangerous and reprehensible . A momentary silence ensued when he was left alone with the two ladies , and the first words that he spoke evidently showed to the Lady Helen what was passing in Wilton 's mind . She looked at him for a moment with a grave smile , and after she had herself alluded more directly to the subject , he expressed plainly the regret that he felt at what he witnessed .