midnight
You must excuse me , mum . ' The cold mutton and the damp potatoes did not tempt her appetite , and catching sight of herself in the glass , bitter thoughts of the wrongs done to her surged up in her mind . The tiny nostrils dilated and the upper lip contracted , and for ten minutes she stood , her hands grasping nervously at the back of her chair ; the canine teeth showed , for the project of revenge was mounting to her head . ` He 'll not be back till midnight ; all this while he is with Leslie and Mrs. Forest , or some new girl perhaps . Yet when he returns to me , when he is wearied out , he expects to find me sober and pleased to see him . But he shall never see me sober or pleased to see him again . ' On these words she walked across the room to the fire-place , and putting her hand up the chimney brought down a bottle of Old Tom , and sat moodily sipping gin and water till she heard his key in the lock .