nearly midnight
`` Your eyes sparkle so suspiciously . '' He laughed loudly and ran away ; but when at supper she still looked at him -- inquiringly and sadly -- he was sorry that he had not given her his confidence , and went after her and confessed all that had happened to him . Then her haggard face suddenly lit up as by a ray of sunshine , and while he crept away ashamed , with glowing cheeks , she looked after him with moist eyes and folded her hands as if in prayer . He sat up in his room till nearly midnight , his head leaning on his hands . The mysterious book was lying on his knee ; but he could not read it , because his father had forbidden him to burn a light at night . He had to wait till Sunday . He was musing on how she had altered .