about ten o'clock
Upon this evening , then , there was left at Hurricane Hall only Major Warfield , Mrs. Condiment , his little housekeeper , and Wool , his body servant . Early in the evening the old hall was shut up closely to keep out as much as possible the sound of the storm that roared through the mountain chasms and cannonaded the walls of the house as if determined to force an entrance . As soon as she had seen that all was safe , Mrs. Condiment went to bed and went to sleep . It was about ten o'clock that night that Old Hurricane , well wrapped up in his quilted flannel dressing-gown , sat in his well-padded easy-chair before a warm and bright fire , taking his comfort in his own most comfortable bedroom . This was the hour of the coziest enjoyment to the self-indulgent old Sybarite , who dearly loved his own ease . And , indeed , every means and appliance of bodily comfort was at hand . Strong oaken shutters and thick , heavy curtains at the windows kept out every draft of air , and so deadened the sound of the wind that its subdued moaning was just sufficient to remind one of the stormy weather without in contrast to the bright warmth within .