midnight
It was burning all right , nevertheless . She wished his lordship good-night , and fancied it was very late . The Earl appeared sure of it . So did a clock with clear ideas on the subject , striking midnight somewhere , ponderously . The lady passed on ; not , however , failing to notice that the lamp stopped at a door on the way , and that its bearer was twice going to knock thereat and did n't . Then a dog within intimated that he should bark presently , unless attention was given to an occurrence he could vouch for , which his master told him to hold his tongue about ; calling out `` Come in ! '' nevertheless , to cover contingencies .