midnight
At the same time he knew that he could be sure of nothing until Lusigny was actually in his possession ; and he spent the next few days in painful suspense . But no hitch occurred nor seemed likely . The Vicomte made him the necessary communications ; and men in his own pay informed him of dispositions ordered by the governor of Lusigny which left him in no doubt that the loser intended to pay his debt . It was , therefore , with a heart already gay with anticipation that the Captain rode out of Créance two hours before midnight on an evening eight days later . The night was dark , but he knew his road well . He had with him a powerful force , composed in part of thirty of his own garrison , bold hardy fellows , and in part of six score horsemen , lent him by the governor of Montauban . As the Vicomte had undertaken to withdraw , under some pretence or other , one-half of his command and to have one of the gates opened by a trusty hand , the Captain foresaw no difficulty .