midnight
How long this lasted I never had an opportunity of knowing , but I was awakened at last by the grasp of a hand upon my shoulder , and tried to rise , half-blinded by the dazzling rays of a lantern , which was swinging close before me . There were a dozen men upon the ground , attracted by the story the driver had told , and among them was a local medical man , who had had the old-fashioned prescience to charge a big flask with brandy . I was glad enough to get a pull at its contents , and the doctor having gone carefully over me and pronounced that no bones were broken , I was lifted with a good deal of trouble into his dog-cart , and at my own request was driven on to Richmond . It was long after midnight when we got there , but after a good deal of knocking and ringing we made our way into the Talbot Hotel , where I secured a comfortable bedroom ; and when my sprained wrist and dislocated ankle had been put into cold compasses by the doctor , I was got to bed . I passed an uneasy night , afflicted mainly by the thought of Violet 's bewilderment about me , and in the morning I scrawled a note to her , telling her where I was , and asking her to send me word that she had received my message . I was more damaged than I had fancied , and the mere writing of the letter with my injured hand was a tough task . The messenger I despatched knew Scarfell House , and told me that it had been bought by General Sir Arthur Rollinson a dozen years ago , but had lately been very rarely used , though an old house-keeper and a general servant were always left in charge of the place .