eight o’clock
He felt more affectionate and kind to it than ever he had done in all his life before , so said with all his heart , ` God bless you ! ' as a parting wish , and turned away . He walked along at a brisk pace , big with great thoughts of going for a soldier and dying in some foreign country where it was very hot and sandy , and leaving God knows what unheard-of wealth in prize-money to Dolly , who would be very much affected when she came to know of it ; and full of such youthful visions , which were sometimes sanguine and sometimes melancholy , but always had her for their main point and centre , pushed on vigorously until the noise of London sounded in his ears , and the Black Lion hove in sight . It was only eight o'clock then , and very much astonished the Black Lion was , to see him come walking in with dust upon his feet at that early hour , with no grey mare to bear him company . But as he ordered breakfast to be got ready with all speed , and on its being set before him gave indisputable tokens of a hearty appetite , the Lion received him , as usual , with a hospitable welcome ; and treated him with those marks of distinction , which , as a regular customer , and one within the freemasonry of the trade , he had a right to claim . This Lion or landlord , -- for he was called both man and beast , by reason of his having instructed the artist who painted his sign , to convey into the features of the lordly brute whose effigy it bore , as near a counterpart of his own face as his skill could compass and devise , -- was a gentleman almost as quick of apprehension , and of almost as subtle a wit , as the mighty John himself . But the difference between them lay in this : that whereas Mr Willet 's extreme sagacity and acuteness were the efforts of unassisted nature , the Lion stood indebted , in no small amount , to beer ; of which he swigged such copious draughts , that most of his faculties were utterly drowned and washed away , except the one great faculty of sleep , which he retained in surprising perfection .