midnight
His brain was on fire . The last gleam that lent brightness to his life had been extinguished ; the friend whom he loved best had cast him off ; his name was sullied ; his love rejected . It was not _ thought _ which kept him in a tumult , but only a physical consciousness of dreadful , irremediable calamity ; and but for the wind which blew so coldly and savagely in his face , and the rain that soaked his clothes and cooled the fever of his forehead , he feared that he might go mad . He did not return to the college till long past midnight ; and the old porter , as he got out of bed to open the gate , could not help saying to him in a tone of reproach -- `` Oh , Mr Kennedy , sir -- excuse me , sir -- but these are bad ways . '' The words were lost upon him : he went up to his room , and threw himself , without taking off his clothes , upon his bed . No sleep came to him , and in the morning -- damp , weary , and feverish as he had been -- his look was inexpressibly pitiable and haggard . The imperious demands of health forced him to take some notice of his condition ; and he was about to put on clean clothes , and take some warm tea about ten in the morning , when the Master 's servant came to tell him that the Seniority desired his presence .