midnight
`` And he 's a military man -- a military man -- a military man . '' He was getting rather stupid now , and repeated the phrase each of the three times with increasing unsteadiness , but also with increasing contempt . Mr. Hardy took our his watch . It was getting on towards midnight . `` Good-bye ; glad to see you all right , '' and he turned to leave . There was a jingling of coin again , and when he had left Mr. Secretary took up the five sovereigns which had found their way to the table and put them in his pocket . His visitor picked his way downstairs .