midnight
The cage was on his knees all evening , and one of the mice was clearly ill of a cake with pink icing . The Portier 's gift was a stealthy one , while his wife was having coffee with her cousin , the brushmaker . But the spirit Of Christmas does strange things . That very evening , while the Portier was roistering in a beer hall preparatory to the midnight mass , came the Portier 's wife , puffing from the stairs , and brought a puzzle book that only the initiated could open , and when one succeeded at last there was a picture of the Christ-Child within . Young McLean came to call that evening -- came to call and remained to worship . It was the first time since Mrs. Boyer that a visitor had come . McLean , interested with everything and palpably not shocked , was a comforting caller .