eight o'clock
He had often made known to the knight of Lichtenstein the intense interest he took in the welfare of the exile , and what heartfelt pleasure it would give him to cultivate his further acquaintance ; nevertheless , he had never once been invited to join the nocturnal visit of the mysterious guest . He was too proud to press the subject ; he waited night after night in the expectation of being called in to speak to the man , but he waited in vain . He resolved therefore to see the stranger some night without an invitation , and for this purpose he sought a fitting opportunity . His room , which he was obliged to enter every night regularly at eight o'clock , overlooked the valley below , and was situated immediately opposite to the side on which the bridge was placed . It was therefore out of the question to see him coming from this position . The large room on the second floor , which was not far from his own , was locked every night , and consequently debarred him from satisfying his curiosity from thence . On the landing place , to which the doors of the different rooms led , there were indeed two windows looking towards the bridge , but as they were grated and stood high , the view from them was confined to the distant country , and there was no possibility of obtaining a sight of the desired spot .