midnight
All that there was of life and light and sound in Kohiseva seemed gathered this night at Moisio . The fiddler played his hardest , the floor creaked , and the walls quivered to the tramp of many feet ; a stream of figures passed continuously before the windows . The wedding had taken place that afternoon . Then came feasting and dancing -- and the guests were dancing still , though it was close on midnight . The bridegroom was a fine upstanding fellow , and the bride a worthy mate -- as stately a pair as any had seen . All the neighbourhood agreed in this -- and all had seen the couple , though not all had been bidden to the feast . A whisper had been passed among the crowd without , followed by a shout from all , demanding to see the bride and bridegroom .