midnight
`` But your Excellency ... '' `` I said , do you hear me ? '' The soldiers had all crept away ; the three men stood alone together in the dark and lonely road , with Marguerite there , behind the hedge , listening to Chauvelin 's orders , as she would to her own death sentence . `` I heard your Honour , '' protested the Jew again , while he tried to draw nearer to Chauvelin , `` and I swear by Abraham , Isaac and Jacob that I would obey your Honour most absolutely , and that I would not move from this place until your Honour once more deigned to shed the light of your countenance upon your humble servant ; but remember , your Honour , I am a poor old man ; my nerves are not as strong as those of a young soldier . If midnight marauders should come prowling round this lonely road , I might scream or run in my fright ! And is my life to be forfeit , is some terrible punishment to come on my poor old head for that which I can not help ? '' The Jew seemed in real distress ; he was shaking from head to foot . Clearly he was not the man to be left by himself on this lonely road .