two o'clock in the morning
He would begin with his own house . Who then should he take first ? Surely he could not do better than begin with the tailor who lived immediately over his head . This would be desirable , not only because he was the one who seemed to stand most in need of conversion , but also because , if he were once converted , he would no longer beat his wife at two o'clock in the morning , and the house would be much pleasanter in consequence . He would therefore go upstairs at once , and have a quiet talk with this man . Before doing so , he thought it would be well if he were to draw up something like a plan of a campaign ; he therefore reflected over some pretty conversations which would do very nicely if Mr Holt would be kind enough to make the answers proposed for him in their proper places . But the man was a great hulking fellow , of a savage temper , and Ernest was forced to admit that unforeseen developments might arise to disconcert him .