midnight
`` Oh , I shall be all right , '' said Ditte , trying to speak cheerfully , but her voice broke , and suddenly she threw her arms round him . Lars Peter stayed beside her until she had fallen asleep , then went up to bed himself . From the attic he could hear her softly moaning in her sleep . At midnight he came downstairs again , he was in oilskins and carried a lantern . The light shone on the bed -- all four were asleep . But Ditte was tossing restlessly , fighting with something in her dreams . `` Sister must eat her dinner , '' she moaned , `` it 'll never do ... she 'll get so thin . ''