midnight
That note seemed to echo mournfully through the souls of Agricola and his father . Mute with emotion , they shuddered , and by a spontaneous movement , each grasped the hand of the other . In spite of themselves , their hearts kept time to every stroke of the clock , as each successive vibration was prolonged through the gloomy silence of the night . At the last strobe , Dagobert said to his son , in a firm voice : `` It is midnight . Shake hands , and let us forward ! '' The moment was decisive and solemn . `` Now , father , '' said Agricola , `` we will act with as much craft and daring as thieves going to pillage a strong box . ''