midnight before
Such ever will be the case in society , and the more refined the society may be -- the more civilised its parts -- the greater is the mutual dependence . Still it is an error originating in itself from high feelings , and therefore must be considered as an error on the right side ; but recollect how much you might have thrown away had not you , in the first place , secured such a friend as Mr Turnbull ; and secondly , if the death of that friend had not so soon put you in possession . '' I was but too ready to acknowledge the truth of these remarks . The evening passed away so rapidly that it was midnight before I rose to take my leave , and I returned to the hotel as happy in my mind , and as grateful as ever any mortal could possibly be . The next day I removed to the house left me by Mr Turnbull , and the first order I gave was for a wherry . Such was the force of habit , I could not do without one ; and half my time was spent upon the river , pulling every day down to Mr Drummond 's , and returning in the evening , or late at night . Thus passed away two months , during which I occasionally saw the Dominie , the Stapletons , and old Tom Beazeley .