midnight
How the deuce to do it ? Eh -- do I see a light ? '' He did . A light lurid sulphurous gleam upon the midnight of his mind seemed to show the way before him , as wisp-fire in a marsh . He did see a light , and its character was this : Quite aware of his mother 's tranquil hopefulness , and that his kind good sister was ingenuous as the day , he soon apprehended the state of affairs ; and , resolving to increase those misunderstandings on all sides , he quickly perceived that he could triumph in the keen Machiavellian policy , '' _ divide et impera _ . '' The plan became more obvious as he calmly thought it out . Evidently his first step must be to ingratiate himself with both Henry and Maria , as the sympathizing brother , a very easy task among such charitable fools : number two should be to persuade them , as the mother did , that Sir Thomas , generally a reserved unsocial man at home -LRB- and that in especial to Maria -RRB- , was very nervous at the thought of losing his dear daughter , and -LRB- while he acquiesced in the common fate of parents and the usual way of the world -RRB- begged that his coming bereavement might be obtruded on him as little as possible -- Mr. Clements always to avoid him , and Maria to hold her tongue : number three , to amuse his father all the while by the prospect of his own high alliance , so as effectually to hoodwink him from what was going on : and , number four , to send him up to Yorkshire a week hence -LRB- on some fool 's errand to inquire after the imaginary countess 's imaginary mortgages -RRB- , leaving behind him an autograph epistle -LRB- which our John well knew how to write -RRB- , recommending `` that the ceremony be performed immediately and in his absence , to spare his feelings on the spot , '' mentioning `` son John as his worthy substitute to give dear Maria away , '' and enclosing them at once his `` blessing and a hundred pound note to help them on their honey-moon . ''