midnight
As she passed along the wide and lonely galleries , dusky and silent , she felt forlorn and apprehensive of -- she scarcely knew what ; but when , entering the corridor , she recollected the incident of the preceding night , a dread seized her , lest a subject of alarm , similar to that , which had befallen Annette , should occur to her , and which , whether real , or ideal , would , she felt , have an almost equal effect upon her weakened spirits . The chamber , to which Annette had alluded , she did not exactly know , but understood it to be one of those she must pass in the way to her own ; and , sending a fearful look forward into the gloom , she stepped lightly and cautiously along , till , coming to a door , from whence issued a low sound , she hesitated and paused ; and , during the delay of that moment , her fears so much increased , that she had no power to move from the spot . Believing , that she heard a human voice within , she was somewhat revived ; but , in the next moment , the door was opened , and a person , whom she conceived to be Montoni , appeared , who instantly started back , and closed it , though not before she had seen , by the light that burned in the chamber , another person , sitting in a melancholy attitude by the fire . Her terror vanished , but her astonishment only began , which was now roused by the mysterious secrecy of Montoni 's manner , and by the discovery of a person , whom he thus visited at midnight , in an apartment , which had long been shut up , and of which such extraordinary reports were circulated . While she thus continued hesitating , strongly prompted to watch Montoni 's motions , yet fearing to irritate him by appearing to notice them , the door was again opened cautiously , and as instantly closed as before . She then stepped softly to her chamber , which was the next but one to this , but , having put down her lamp , returned to an obscure corner of the corridor , to observe the proceedings of this half-seen person , and to ascertain , whether it was indeed Montoni . Having waited in silent expectation for a few minutes , with her eyes fixed on the door , it was again opened , and the same person appeared , whom she now knew to be Montoni .