seven in the
evening
On the 13th of October , his usual dinner parties were resumed , and he was considered convalescent ; but it was seldom indeed that he recovered the tone of tranquil spirits which he had preserved until his late attack . Hitherto he had always loved to prolong this meal , the only one he took -- or , as he expressed it in classical phrase , ` coenam _ ducere _ ; ' but now it was difficult to hurry it over fast enough for his wishes . From dinner , which terminated about two o'clock , he went straight to bed , and at intervals fell into slumbers ; from which , however , he was regularly awoke by phantasmata or terrific dreams . At seven in the evening came on duly a period of great agitation , which lasted till five or six in the morning -- sometimes later ; and he continued through the night alternately to walk about and lie down , occasionally tranquil , but more often in great distress . It now became necessary that somebody should sit up with him , his man-servant being wearied out with the toils of the day . No person seemed to be so proper for this office as his sister , both as having long received a very liberal pension from him , and also as his nearest relative , who would be the best witness to the fact that her illustrious brother had wanted no comforts or attention in his last hours , which his situation admitted of . Accordingly she was applied to , and undertook to watch him alternately with his footman -- a separate table being kept for her , and a very handsome addition made to her allowance .