midnight
Inspired by her shining example , the Colonel dragged forth a few musty old anecdotes and offered them for inspection . They were new to the younger generation , and Madame affected to find them new also . Rose wondered at her , as often , envying her the gift of detachment . The fear that had come upon Rose at midnight was with her still , haunting her , waking or sleeping , like some evil thing . Proudly she said to herself that she would seek no man , though her heart should break for love of him ; that though her soul writhed in anguish , neither he nor the woman who took him from her should ever even suspect she cared . She forced herself to meet Allison 's eyes with a smile , to answer his questions , and to put in a word , now and then , when Madame or the Colonel paused . Yet , with every sense at its keenest , she noted Isabel 's downcast eyes , the self-conscious air with which Allison spoke to her , and the exaggerated consideration of Juliet which he instinctively adopted as a shield .