midnight
The partitions in Swiss mountain-inns are thin , and from time to time he heard Mrs. Hudson moaning , three rooms off . Considering its great fury , the storm took long to expend itself ; it was upwards of three hours before the thunder ceased . But even then the rain continued to fall heavily , and the night , which had come on , was impenetrably black . This lasted till near midnight . Rowland thought of Mary Garland 's challenge in the porch , but he thought even more that , although the fetid interior of a high-nestling chalet may offer a convenient refuge from an Alpine tempest , there was no possible music in the universe so sweet as the sound of Roderick 's voice . At midnight , through his dripping window-pane , he saw a star , and he immediately went downstairs and out into the gallery . The rain had ceased , the cloud-masses were dissevered here and there , and several stars were visible .