midnight
When they came to the house of Gundhar , he bade them throw open the doors of the hall and set the tree in the midst of it . They kindled lights among the branches until it seemed to be tangled full of fire-flies . The children encircled it , wondering , and the sweet odour of the balsam filled the house . Then Winfried stood beside the chair of Gundhar , on the dais at the end of the hall , and told the story of Bethlehem ; of the babe in the manger , of the shepherds on the hills , of the host of angels and their midnight song . All the people listened , charmed into stillness . But the boy Bernhard , on Irma 's knee , folded in her soft arms , grew restless as the story lengthened , and began to prattle softly at his mother 's ear . `` Mother , '' whispered the child , `` why did you cry out so loud , when the priest was going to send me to Valhalla ? ''