These days one must be awake or one's simply nowhere." He paused and nodded his head very solemnly at her, looking, as he did so, serious and important.
It was thus that he always appeared, "for one night only," but staying for weeks and weeks in spite of the indignant protests of his brother Charles who had never liked him and grudged the expense of his visits.
Maggie herself took his appearance as she did everything else in her life with good-tempered philosophy.

She had an affection for her uncle; she wished that he did not drink so much, but had he made a success of life she would not have cared for him as she did.

After all every one had their weaknesses ...
She steered her uncle into the dining-room and placed him on a chair beside the fire.

In all his movements he attempted restraints and dignity because he knew that he was drunk but hoped that his niece, in spite of her long experience of him, would not perceive it.

At the same time he knew that she did perceive it and would perhaps scold him about it.