midnight
It was given in honour of Mr. and Mrs. Green , who had just been a few days married . The young couple were ushered into the drawing-room in gay attire , and with their faces wreathed into still gayer smiles ; and , in the fair bride , Jones , who was , of course , present , recognized the lady who had , on one occasion , betrayed so much alarm on his doing her a trifling act of kindness . The affair , in the absence of more important topic of conversation , was talked and laughed over ; and the bride acknowledged herself to have been a very silly girl . All the company were soon in high spirits , and the merriment was kept up till it was near midnight . On separating , the company could not help expressing their admiration of the serenity of the night . It was a clear , lovely moonlight ; and the exquisite stillness and beauty of the scene caused some of the younger individuals of the party to regret that they had spent so much time within doors . When they reached the gate , Miss Manners , who had accompanied them through the garden , bade them `` good night . ''