twelve o'clock
But at that time -- some twelve or fifteen years since -- all this was not a part of the political A B C ; and Harcourt had much doubt in his own mind as to the party which ought to be blessed with his adherence . Lord chancellorships and lord chief-justiceships , though not enjoyed till middle life , or , indeed , till the evening of a lawyer 's days , must , in fact , be won or lost in the heyday of his career . One false step in his political novitiate may cost him everything . A man when known as a recognized Whig may fight battle after battle with mercenary electors , sit yawning year after year till twelve o'clock , ready to attack on every point the tactics of his honourable and learned friend on the Treasury seats , and yet see junior after junior rise to the bench before him -- and all because at starting he decided wrongly as to his party . If Harcourt had predilections , they were with the Whigs ; but he was not weak enough to let any predilection be a burden to his interests . Where was the best opening for him ? The Tories -- I still prefer the name , as being without definite meaning ; the direct falsehood implied in the title of Conservative amounts almost to a libel -- the Tories were in ; but from the fact of being in , were always liable to be turned out .