midnight
`` No , your Grace , '' said Sir Thomas , bowing slightly ; `` they 'll scarcely do so when they hear the time we took to get under arms . '' I heard no more ; but throwing myself into the saddle of my troop horse , once more rode back to the Belle Vue to make ready for the road . The thin pale crescent of a new moon , across which masses of dark and inky clouds were hurrying , tipped with its faint and sickly light the tall minarets of the Hotel de Ville , as I rode into the Grande Place . Although midnight , the streets were as crowded as at noonday ; horse , foot , and dragoons passing and hurrying hither ; the wild pibroch of the Highlander ; the mellow bugle of the Seventy-first ; the hoarse trumpet of the cavalry ; the incessant roll of the drum , -- mingled their sounds with the tide of human voices , in which every accent was heard , from the reckless cheer of anticipated victory , to the heart-piercing shriek of woman 's agony . Lights gleamed from every window ; from the doors of almost every house poured forth a crowd of soldiers and townsfolk . The sergeants , on one side , might be seen telling off their men , their cool and steady countenances evidencing no semblance of emotion ; while near them some young ensign , whose beardless cheek and vacant smile bespoke the mere boy , looked on with mingled pride and wonder at the wild scene before him . Every now and then some general officer with his staff came cantering past ; and as the efforts to muster and form the troops grew more pressing , I could mark how soon we were destined to meet the enemy .