midnight
She was really striving to depict her own confusion of ideas when stunned by the discovery of Medenham 's position , but she only succeeded in stringing together a series of ill-natured innuendoes . Sandwiched between each paragraph of the story were the true gossip 's catchwords -- thus : `` What was I to think ? '' `` What would people say if they knew ? '' `` My dear , just picture your mother 's predicament when midnight struck , and there was no news ! '' `` Of course , one makes allowances for an American girl , '' and the rest . Though this soured woman was a ready letter-writer , she was no reader , or in days to come she might have parodied Pope 's `` Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot '' : Why did I write ? What sin to me unknown Dipped me in ink ?