two o'clock in the morning
The laughter of Andreas grew louder and more vacuous , and when at last he heaved himself up at midnight and departed to bed , that he might take some rest against the morrow 's hunt , he staggered a little in his walk . But there were other hunters there whose impatience could not keep until the morrow , whose game was to be run to death that very night . They waited -- Bertrand d'Artois , Robert of Cabane , the Counts of Terlizzi and Morcone , Melazzo and Andreas 's body servant Pace -- until all those who lay at Aversa were deep in slumber . Then at two o'clock in the morning they made their stealthy way to the loggia on the third floor , a long colonnaded gallery above the Abbot 's garden . They paused a moment before the Queen 's door which opened upon this gallery , then crept on to that of the King 's room at the other end . It was Pace who rapped sharply on the panels thrice before he was answered by a sleepy growl from the other side . `` It is I -- Pace -- my lord , '' he announced .