midnight
The tears brought her relief ; she was able to throw her writing aside , and by degrees to resume that dull , vacant mood of habitual suffering which at all events could be endured . From this , too , there was at times a retreat possible with the help of a book . She had no mind to sleep , and on looking round , she remembered that the book she had been reading in the early part of the day was downstairs . It was after midnight , and she seemed to have a recollection of hearing the visitors leave the house a little while ago ; it would be safe to venture as far as the sitting-room below . She began to descend the stairs quietly . There was still a light in the hall , but the quietness of the house reassured her . On turning an angle of the stairs , however , she saw that the door of the drawing-room was open , and that just within stood two figures -- her mother and Mr. Rudge .