midnight
before
The man assented to her argument , and went to look out the two beds she wanted . But what in reality influenced him was dislike to offending a customer ; customers are the divinities of tradesmen , as society is the divinity of society : in her , men and women worship themselves . Having got the two bedsteads extracted piecemeal from the disorganized heaps in his back shop , he and Hester together proceeded to carry them home -- and I can not help wishing lord Gartley had come upon her at the work -- no very light job , for she went three times , and bore good weights . It was long after midnight before the beds were ready -- and a meal of coffee , and toast , and bread and butter , spread in the great room . Then at last Hester went back to the cellar . `` Now , come , '' she said , and taking up the baby , which had just weight enough to lie and let her know how light it was , led the way . Franks rose from the edge of the packing-case , on which lay the body of Moxy , with his mother yet kneeling beside it , and put his arm round his wife to raise her .