midnight
He did not look me in the face as he delivered this piece of information , but allowed his narrow eyes to drop away shiftily . `` Oh , I am surprised at that , '' I returned , `` for I have come by invitation . '' I hardly know by what impulse I mentioned this , and as a matter of fact the invitation could hardly be supposed to stand , as I had last night refused it . Still , it seemed to me extremely improbable that the two men would have changed their minds about the day , after midnight , when I had parted from them . They had mentioned refusing one or two invitations , and there was really so little to do by way of amusement out of one 's own house , or somebody else 's , on Christmas Day . Somehow , too , I felt impressed that the man was lying . He had perhaps been told to say that his master and guest were away in case of an intrusion , which they might have had reason to fear ; but this could hardly stand with me .