midnight
De Scudéri bent her eyes upon the floor in reflection . She felt she must obey the Higher Power which was thus demanding of her that she should effect the disclosure of some terrible secret , and she felt , too , as though she could not draw back out of the tangled skein into which she had run without any conscious effort of will . Suddenly making up her mind , she replied with dignity , `` God will give me firmness and self-command , Bring Brusson here ; I will speak with him . '' Just as on the previous occasion when Brusson brought the casket , there came a knock at De Scudéri 's house door at midnight . Baptiste , forewarned of this nocturnal visit , at once opened the door . De Scudéri felt an icy shiver run through her as she gathered from the light footsteps and hollow murmuring voices that the guards who had brought Brusson were taking up their stations about the passages of the house . At length the room door was softly opened .