midnight
The Queen received this address also with great courtesy , and made answer in raillery , `` We thought this lake had belonged to our own dominions , fair dame ; but since so famed a lady claims it for hers , we will be glad at some other time to have further communing with you touching our joint interests . '' With this gracious answer the Lady of the Lake vanished , and Arion , who was amongst the maritime deities , appeared upon his dolphin . But Lambourne , who had taken upon him the part in the absence of Wayland , being chilled with remaining immersed in an element to which he was not friendly , having never got his speech by heart , and not having , like the porter , the advantage of a prompter , paid it off with impudence , tearing off his vizard , and swearing , `` Cogs bones ! he was none of Arion or Orion either , but honest Mike Lambourne , that had been drinking her Majesty 's health from morning till midnight , and was come to bid her heartily welcome to Kenilworth Castle . '' This unpremeditated buffoonery answered the purpose probably better than the set speech would have done . The Queen laughed heartily , and swore -LRB- in her turn -RRB- that he had made the best speech she had heard that day . Lambourne , who instantly saw his jest had saved his bones , jumped on shore , gave his dolphin a kick , and declared he would never meddle with fish again , except at dinner .