midnight
We have no fear , whatever , of a sortie in this direction ; and have plenty of force behind . '' Ralph and Percy lingered , upon one excuse or another ; asking questions as long as they could , and making the best use of their time , to gain a fair idea of the ground that they would have to cross . They had with them , in the wagon , a map of Bellevue and Meudon upon a large scale , with every house marked upon it . `` It is going to be a dark night , '' the officer said , as they hurried away , `` and we shall have snow before midnight . '' Another hour or two was spent in purchasing various articles , taken from the French villas . Darkness had come on , and Ralph told the officers that he should not return until the next morning to Versailles ; and that if the articles to be entrusted to his care for delivery were put in rough cases -- of which there were plenty , which had come full of stores -- and brought by ten o'clock in the morning , carefully directed , it would be in sufficient time . `` Will you give us leave to sleep in one of the villas , upon the farther side of the road ? ''