ten o'clock
D'ye think I wad hae comed out at twal o'clock at night , and amaist broken the Lord 's day , just to tell a fa'en man o ' his backslidings ? Na , na , that 's no Bailie Jarvie 's gate , nor was ' t his worthy father 's the deacon afore him . Why , man ! it 's my rule never to think on warldly business on the Sabbath , and though I did a ' I could to keep your note that I gat this morning out o ' my head , yet I thought mair on it a ' day , than on the preaching -- And it 's my rule to gang to my bed wi ' the yellow curtains preceesely at ten o'clock -- unless I were eating a haddock wi ' a neighbour , or a neighbour wi ' me -- ask the lass-quean there , if it isna a fundamental rule in my household ; and here hae I sitten up reading gude books , and gaping as if I wad swallow St. Enox Kirk , till it chappit twal , whilk was a lawfu ' hour to gie a look at my ledger , just to see how things stood between us ; and then , as time and tide wait for no man , I made the lass get the lantern , and came slipping my ways here to see what can be dune anent your affairs . Bailie Jarvie can command entrance into the tolbooth at ony hour , day or night ; -- sae could my father the deacon in his time , honest man , praise to his memory . '' Although Owen groaned at the mention of the ledger , leading me grievously to fear that here also the balance stood in the wrong column ; and although the worthy magistrate 's speech expressed much self-complacency , and some ominous triumph in his own superior judgment , yet it was blended with a sort of frank and blunt good-nature , from which I could not help deriving some hopes . He requested to see some papers he mentioned , snatched them hastily from Owen 's hand , and sitting on the bed , to `` rest his shanks , '' as he was pleased to express the accommodation which that posture afforded him , his servant girl held up the lantern to him , while , pshawing , muttering , and sputtering , now at the imperfect light , now at the contents of the packet , he ran over the writings it contained .