midnight
But it was very unpleasant to me to consider that I was in debt nearly a hundred pounds to tradesmen , chiefly of Mrs. Hoggarty 's recommendation ; and as she had promised to be answerable for their bills , I determined to send her a letter reminding her of her promise , and begging her at the same time to relieve me from Mr. Von Stiltz 's debt , for which I was arrested : and which was incurred not certainly at her desire , but at Mr. Brough 's ; and would never have been incurred by me but at the absolute demand of that gentleman . I wrote to her , therefore , begging her to pay all these debts , and promised myself on Monday morning again to be with my dear wife . Gus carried off the letter , and promised to deliver it in Bernhard Street after church-time ; taking care that Mary should know nothing at all of the painful situation in which I was placed . It was near midnight when we parted , and I tried to sleep as well as I could in the dirty little sofa-bedstead of Mr. Aminadab 's back-parlour . That morning was fine and sunshiny , and I heard all the bells ringing cheerfully for church , and longed to be walking to the Foundling with my wife : but there were the three iron doors between me and liberty , and I had nothing for it but to read my prayers in my own room , and walk up and down afterwards in the court at the back of the house . Would you believe it ? This very court was like a cage !