midnight
As thus he communed with himself , he was on the point of turning back ; but his overmastering love plied him with opposing arguments of such force that he kept on his way , and reached the tomb ; which having opened , he entered , and after stripping Scannadio , and wrapping himself in the grave-clothes , closed it , and laid himself down in Scannadio 's place . He then fell a thinking of the dead man , and his manner of life , and the things which he had heard tell of as happening by night , and in other less appalling places than the houses of the dead ; whereby all the hairs of his head stood on end , and he momently expected Scannadio to rise and cut his throat . However , the ardour of his love so fortified him that he overcame these and all other timorous apprehensions , and lay as if he were dead , awaiting what should betide him . Towards midnight Rinuccio , bent likewise upon fulfilling his lady 's behest , sallied forth of his house , revolving as he went divers forebodings of possible contingencies , as that , having Scannadio 's corpse upon his shoulders , he might fall into the hands of the Signory , and be condemned to the fire as a wizard , or that , should the affair get wind , it might embroil him with his kinsfolk , or the like , which gave him pause . But then with a revulsion of feeling : -- Shall I , quoth he to himself , deny this lady , whom I so much have loved and love , the very first thing that she asks of me ? And that too when I am thereby to win her favour ? No , though ` twere as much as my life is worth , far be it from me to fail of keeping my word .