midnight
The manifestoes , Stuart said , had failed of their purpose . He had already called upon the President , and had offered to resign his position and leave the country , or to stay and fight his maligners , and take up arms at once against Mendoza 's party . Alvarez had treated him like a son , and bade him be patient . He held that Caesar 's wife was above suspicion because she was Caesar 's wife , and that no canards posted at midnight could affect his faith in his wife or in his friend . He refused to believe that any coup d'etat was imminent , save the one which he himself meditated when he was ready to proclaim the country in a state of revolution , and to assume a military dictatorship . `` What nonsense ! '' exclaimed Clay .