midnight
''' Here Mr. John stopped , and jumping hastily up , and turning round to Mrs. Sally , Mrs. Nelly , and Mr. Bob , exclaimed , rubbing his hands -- ` There ladies , I have finished my story ; and , let me tell you , so long preaching has made my throat dry , so another mug of ale , if you please , Master Bobby -LRB- tapping him at the same time upon the shoulder -RRB- , another mug of ale , my boy ; for faith , talking at the rate I have done , is enough to wear a man 's lungs out , and , in truth , I have need of something to hearten me after such fatigue . ' ` Well , I am sure , ' replied Mrs. Sally and Mrs. Nelly , in the same breath , ` we are greatly obliged to you for your history ; and I am sure it deserves to be framed and glazed , and it ought to be hung up in the hall of every family , that all people may see the sad effects of pride , and how little cause people have , because they are rich , to despise those who are poor ; since it frequently happens , that those who this year are like little kings , may the next be beggars ; and then they will repent , when it is too late , of all their pride and unkindness they showed to those beneath them . ' Here the conversation was put a stop to by the bell ringing , and John being ordered to drive to the door . I , who during the whole of the history had been feasting upon a mince-pie , now thought it safer to conceal myself in a little hole in the wainscot of the closet , where , finding myself very safe , I did not awake till midnight . After the family were all retired to rest , I peeped out of the hole , and there saw just such another frightful trap as that which was the prelude to poor Softdown 's sufferings . Startled at the sight , I retreated back as expeditiously as possible , nor ever stopped till I found my way into a bed-chamber , where lay two little girls fast asleep . I looked about for some time , peeping into every hole and corner before I could find any thing to eat , there being not so much as a candle in the room with them .