midnight
One had to choose one 's party . So on the following day I really did set out with Petöfi to steal a girl for the benefit of a third friend . The affair succeeded beyond all expectation . We had no need of the darkness of midnight and scaling ladders , the mere appearance of Petöfi and myself at the bride 's house was sufficient ; the parents gave way , and the priest united the two lovers . Yet for all that we always made much of our damsel-robbing adventure . And , indeed , it seemed likely to turn out a dangerous precedent . Example is contagious .