nearly one o'clock
Lewis , you know , is ordered by the doctors to Malaga ; and Loftus -- honest dog -- I managed that trifle for him -- goes with him ; and the poor old lady , I suppose , is in the vapours , and wants me -- and that 's all . And Puddock , we must drink a bowl of punch together -- you and I -- or something -- anything -- what you please . ' And so they sat some time longer , and grew very merry and friendly , and a little bit pathetic in their several ways . And Puddock divulged his secret but noble flame for Gertrude Chattesworth , and Devereux sang a song or two , defying fortune , in his sweet , sad tenor ; and the nymph who skipt up and down stairs with the kettle grew sleepy at last ; and Mrs. Irons rebelled in her bed , and refused peremptorily to get up again , to furnish the musical topers with rum and lemons , and Puddock , having studied his watch -- I 'm bound to say with a slight hiccough and supernatural solemnity -- for about five minutes , satisfied himself it was nearly one o'clock , and took an affecting , though soldier-like leave of his comrade , who , however , lent him his arm down the stairs , which were rather steep ; and having with difficulty dissuaded him from walking into the clock , the door of which was ajar , thought it his duty to see the gallant little lieutenant home to his lodgings ; and so in the morning good little Puddock 's head ached . He had gone to bed with his waistcoat and leggings on -- and his watch was missing and despaired of , till discovered , together with a lemon , in the pocket of his surtout , hanging against the wall ; and a variety of other strange arrangements came to light , with not one of which could Puddock connect himself . Indeed , he was ` dithguthted ' at his condition ; and if upon the occasion just described he had allowed himself to be somewhat ` intoxicated with liquor , ' I must aver that I do not recollect another instance in which this worthy little gentleman suffered himself to be similarly overtaken . Now and then a little ` flashy ' he might be , but nothing more serious -- and rely upon it , this was no common virtue in those days .