nine o'clock
At supper , that evening , Mr. Slocum addressed scarcely a word to Margaret , and Margaret was also silent . The days were dragging heavily with her ; she was missing Richard . Her own daring travels had never extended beyond Boston or Providence ; and New York , with Richard in it , seemed drearily far away . Mr. Slocum withdrew to his chamber shortly after nine o'clock , and , lighting the pair of candles on the dressing-table , began his examination of Mr. Taggett 's memoranda . At midnight the watchman on his lonely beat saw those two candles still burning . Mr. Taggett 's diary was precisely a diary , -- disjoined , full of curt , obscure phrases and irrelevant reflections , -- for which reason it will not be reproduced here . Though Mr. Slocum pondered every syllable , and now and then turned back painfully to reconsider some doubtful passage , it is not presumed that the reader will care to do so .