about midnight
About midnight there arose a great noise in the courtyard . V -- plainly heard a window broken in ; then he went downstairs , and as he traversed the passages he was met by rolling clouds of suffocating smoke , which , he soon perceived were pouring out of the open door of the house-steward 's room . The steward himself was just being carried out , to all appearance dead , in order to be taken and put to bed in another room . The servants related that about midnight one of the under-grooms had been awakened by a strange hollow knocking ; he thought something had befallen the old man , and was preparing to get up and go and see if he could help him , when the night watchman in the court shouted , `` Fire ! Fire ! The Herr House-Steward 's room is all of a bright blaze ! '' At this outcry several servants at once appeared on the scene ; but all their efforts to burst open the room door were unavailing .