midnight
He raised me with a smile of paternal fondness ; said he knew what it was to be in love ; and observed that , if he had been as tenderly beloved by his father as I was by mine , he should not now perhaps have cause -- here he was interrupted by a sigh , the tear rushed into his eye , suppressed the dictates of his grief , and the time being opportune , desired me to relate the passages of my life , which my uncle had told him were manifold and surprising . I recounted the most material circumstances of my fortune , to which he listened with wonder and attention , manifesting from time to time the different emotions which my different situations may be supposed to have raised in a parent 's breast ; and , when my detail was ended , blessed God for the adversity I had undergone , which , he said , enlarged the understanding , improved the heart , steeled the constitution , and qualified a young man for all the duties and enjoyments of life much better than any education which affluence could bestow . When I had thus satisfied his curiosity , I discovered an inclination to hear the particulars of his story , which he gratified by beginning with his marriage , and proceeded to the day of his disappearing , as I have related in the first part of my memoirs . `` Careless of life , '' continued he , `` and unable to live in a place where every object recalled the memory of my dear Charlotte , whom I had lost through the barbarity of an unnatural parent , I took my leave of you , my child , then an infant , with a heart full of unutterable woe , but little suspecting that my father 's unkindness would have descended to my innocent orphan ; and setting out alone at midnight for the nearest seaport , early next morning got on board a ship , bound , as I had heard , for France ; and , bargaining with the master for my passage , bade a long adieu to my native country , and put to sea with the first fair wind . The place of our destination was Granville , but we had the misfortune to run upon a ridge of rocks near the Island of Alderney , called the Caskets , where the sea running high , the ship went to pieces , the boat sunk alongside , and every soul on board perished , except myself , who , by the assistance of a grating got ashore on the coast of Normandy . I went directly to Caen , where I was so lucky as to meet with a count , whom I had formerly known in my travels ; with this gentleman I set out for Paris , where I was recommended by him and other friends , as tutor to a young nobleman , whom I accompanied to the court of Spain . There we remained a whole year , at the end of which my pupil being recalled by his father , I quitted my office , and stayed behind , by the advice of a certain Spanish grandee , who took me into his protection , and introduced me to another nobleman , who was afterwards created viceroy of Peru .