midnight
At last Mrs. White said , `` Steve , I think it 's getting near nine o'clock . You 'd better go in next door before it 's any later . '' Stephen pulled out his watch . By his own sensations , he would have said that it must be midnight . `` Yes , it is half-past eight . I suppose I had better go now , '' he said , and bade his mother good-night . He went out into the night with a sense of ecstasy of relief and joy .