midnight
This came on me , as I saw it did on you all , as a surprise . True , it does not bear on the question of a promise or of the breach . But still it seems a matter which you can not wholly shut out from your consideration . It startled me as it did you , to find a sort of travelling philanthropist , as the Defendant Pickwick holds himself out to be , on whose mildly benevolent features nature seems to have stamped rectitude and high principle , living a life of hypocrisy , taking part in midnight invasions and daylight riots . It is one of his own friends who tells us this sad story : and it is for you to consider whether the Plaintiff was here also in pursuit of yet another disreputable game , holding out marriage as the bait : I seem to speak strongly , but I feel it would be impossible to withdraw this from your consideration . `` You may reasonably ask yourselves of what Pickwick was afraid -- or why did he dread the presence of witnesses ? Was he simply beguiling the lady , as he attempted to beguile that lady at Ipswich , without ` meaning business , ' as the phrase runs .