midnight
Claude was about to say , with no politeness at all , that he did , and to repeat his refusal in stronger terms , when his ear caught the same sound which had revealed so much to him a few minutes earlier at the foot of the stairs . It came more faintly this time , deadened by the closed door of the staircase , but to his enlightened senses it proclaimed so clearly what it was -- the echo of a cracked , shrill voice , of a laugh insane , uncanny , elfish -- that he trembled lest Louis should hear it also and gain the clue . That was a thing to be avoided at all costs ; and even as this occurred to him he saw the way to avoid it . Basterga and Grio were absent : if this fool could be removed , even for an hour or two , Anne would have the house to herself , and by midnight the crisis might be overpast . `` I will come with you , '' he said . Louis uttered a sigh of relief . He had expected -- and he had very nearly received -- another answer .