Possible Clues:

• Terrible thing, defeat - it's the start of the dark time
• Dark autumn evening
• Won't see light of day when lord is heard to come down
• Time close to starting a trip
• Almost everybody put feet up inside at dusk
• End of day
• Near-wrecked flat and left after sunset
• Near start of the autumn, when evenings draw in
• It's dusk and a man is heard to drop
• Almost everyone's too full for starters in the evening