midnight
First it was a long , lank creature with piercing eyes and a knob at the back of its head which it seemed to be Nan 's duty , not to say pleasure , to shoot off with a paper of needles . Then it was something she must recollect or be put to death for forgetting ; some awful harangue that she had been doomed to deliver before Delia and a vast crowd of other people , all of whom were staring at her regretfully and murmuring to one another that it was a shame such a hoyden should be allowed to live ; and again it was some dainty little creature with tender eyes and shining hair that Nan longed to follow but could not because of something inside her breast that held her back and would not let her call . Miss Blake did not go to her room until very late . She and Delia kept up a steady stream of conversation until long after midnight , and even then the governess would not have paused if Delia had not been struck with sudden compunction . `` Dear heart alive ! '' she cried , scrambling to her feet hastily as the clock chimed twelve . `` Here you 've been wore out with tiredness and excitement and I keep you up till all hours pressin ' you with questions that you ai n't fit to answer , just as if we would n't have time an ' to spare together for the rest of our lives , please Heaven !