eleven o'clock at night
Indeed , his behaviour was a strange compound of madness and folly , seasoned with a small proportion of sense . No wonder then , that I , who am hot and hasty , should be wretched , under the persecution of such a perverse humourist , who used to terrify me , and scold at me the whole night without intermission , and shake my pillow from time to time , that I might not sleep , while he tormented me with his disagreeable expostulations . I have been often frightened almost out of my senses , at seeing him convulsed with the most unreasonable passion ; and chagrined to the highest degree of disgust , to find , by repeated observation , his disposition so preposterous , that his satisfaction and displeasure never depended upon the cause he had to be satisfied or disobliged ; but , on the contrary , when he had most reason to be pleased , he was always most discontented , and very often in good-humour when he had reason enough for vexation . `` While I lived in Poland-street , I was engaged with lawyers , and so often visited by my father , that I could not dedicate my whole time as usual to my lover ; nor was it convenient that he should be seen in my company : he therefore took a small house at Camberwell , whither I went as often as I had an opportunity ; and maintained the correspondence with such eagerness and industry , that , although I was six months gone with child , I have often , by myself , set out for his habitation , in a hackney-coach , at eleven o'clock at night , and returned by six in the morning , that I might be in my own bed when my father came to see me ; for I concealed my amour , as well as the effects of it , from his knowledge , and frequently took water from the bridge , that my motions might not be discovered . Nothing but the most passionate love could have supported my spirits under such vicissitudes of fatigue , or enabled my admirer to spend whole days by himself in such a solitary retirement . `` By this time , my lord was arrived in England , and employed in discovering the place of my retreat ; so that I lived in continual alarm , and provided myself with a speaking-trumpet , which stood by my bedside , to be used in calling for assistance , in case my pursuer should make an attack upon my lodgings . `` This situation being extremely uncomfortable , I had no sooner begun my process against him , than I put myself entirely under the protection of Mr. S -- , who conducted me to the house of a friend of his who lived in the country , where I was secure from the attempts of my husband .