nine at night
It contained a few lines from Margaret , written in Italian . A ship was sailing for London that day , and I went on her . * * * * * Jonadab Kilroot had found his way across the Atlantic into Boston Harbour much more easily than I was finding mine across London to Master Freake 's house in Queen Anne 's Gate . It was after nine at night , at which late hour , of course , I did not intend to arouse the inmates , but I meant to find the place so that I could stand outside and imagine Margaret within , perchance dreaming of me . At last I observed that men with torches were clearly being used as guides through this black maze of streets , and I stopped one such and offered him a guinea to do his office for me . He was a lean , shabby , hungry-looking man , who might be forty by the look of him . He stared vacantly at me for a few seconds , and then hurriedly led the way , holding his link high over his head .