midnight
XVIII . Imperial Escort MEMMERT gripped me , then , to the exclusion of a rival notion which had given me no little perplexity during the conversation with von Brüning . His reiterated advice that we should lose no time in picking up our anchor and chain had ended by giving me the idea that he was anxious to get us away from Bensersiel and the mainland . At first I had taken the advice partly as a test of our veracity -LRB- as I gave the reader to understand -RRB- , and partly as an indirect method of lulling any suspicions which Grimm 's midnight visit may have caused . Then it struck me that this might be over-subtlety on my part , and the idea recurred when the question of our future plans cropped up , and hampered me in deciding on a course . It returned again when von Brüning offered to tow us out in the evening . It was in my mind when I questioned him as to his business ashore , for it occurred to me that perhaps his landing here was not solely due to a wish to inspect the crew of the _ Dulcibella _ .