half past two o'clock at night
On one side is the iron chest in which the Regalia were found ; and in the middle of the room is a marble table , entirely white , surrounded by an iron grating , on which is the crown which Robert Bruce had made for himself , the sword of James the First , the signet ring of Charles the First , and other jewels that had belonged to some of the Scottish kings . Around these and the other insignia of their former royalty the lamps are always burning . This is an altar sacred to Auld Lang Syne . I arrived in York at half past two o'clock at night . All was dark in the city , save the lights in the large station , where we were let out of our boxes with our luggage . We had contrived occasionally to lie down on the hard wooden seats , resting our heads on our carpet bags , and , by a little entreaty , had secured a box to ourselves , so that we were not quite so weary as we might have been , and were in good spirits for what was before us , which was to hunt up a lodging place for the remainder of the night , for all the inns were closed . After a while , we got a porter to take the luggage .