midnight
He works away at those papers he brings home here at night , as if he did n't half know what he was about . He always did have that close streak in him , and I do n't suppose but what he 's been going into things he do n't want anybody else to know about , and he 's kept these accounts of his own . '' Sometimes he gave Penelope figures to work at , which he would not submit to his wife 's nimbler arithmetic . Then she went to bed and left them sitting up till midnight , struggling with problems in which they were both weak . But she could see that the girl was a comfort to her father , and that his troubles were a defence and shelter to her . Some nights she could hear them going out together , and then she lay awake for their return from their long walk . When the hour or day of respite came again , the home felt it first .