ten o’clock
We ken all about your prisoning ; M'Iver was in last night and kept the crack going till morning -- a most humorous devil . '' He pinched rappee as he spoke , in rapid doses from a snuff-box , and spread the brown powder in extravagant carelessness over his vest . He might affect what light-heartedness he could ; I saw that the past fortnight had made a difference for the worse on him . The pouches below the eyes had got heavier and darker , the lines had deepened on his brow , the ruddy polish had gone off his cheek , and it was dull and spotted ; by ten o'clock at night-when he used to be very jovial over a glass -- I could tell he would be haggard and yawning . At his years men begin to age in a few hours ; a sudden wrench to the affections , or shock to a long-disciplined order of things in their lives , will send them staggering down off the braehead whereon they have been perched with a good balance so long that they themselves have forgot the natural course of human man is to be progressing somewhere . `` Ah , lad , lad ! have n't we the times ? ''