midnight
He had gone on some distance , and the crowd had dispersed in various directions , till he was almost alone as he emerged into the open space where the Via del Clementino intersects the Ripetta . At that moment he heard a wild and thrilling burst of song . `` Calpesta il mio cadavere , ma salva il Trovator ! '' The great soprano rang out upon the midnight silence , like the voice of a despairing archangel , and there was nothing more . `` Hush ! '' exclaimed a man 's voice energetically . Two or three windows were opened high up , for no one had ever heard such a woman 's voice in the streets before .