midnight
All these considerations were brought before our Council , whose debate was brief but not hurried or excited . The supreme calm of Esmo 's demeanour communicated itself to all the eleven , in not one of whom could I recognise till they spoke my colleagues of our last Council . The order went forth that a party should attend Esmo 's orders at a point about half a mile distant from the studio in which , for the benefit of a great medical school , my unhappy friend was to be put to torture indescribable . `` Happily , '' said Esmo , `` the first portion of the experiment will be made by the Vivisector-General alone , and will commence at midnight . Half an hour before that time our party will be assembled . '' I had insisted on being one of the band , and Esmo had very reluctantly yielded to the unanimous approval of colleagues who thought that on this occasion physical strength might render essential service at some unforeseen crisis . Moreover , the place lying within my geographical province , several of those engaged looked up to me as their immediate chief , and it was thought well to place me on such an occasion at their head .