Ten o'clock
Buvat mixed up in a conspiracy -- Buvat charged with a state secret -- Buvat holding in his hands , perhaps , the fate of nations : a smaller thing would have thrown him into a state of strange perplexity . Thus seconds , minutes , hours flowed away , and Buvat remained on his chair , his head drooping , his eyes fixed on the floor , and perfectly still . From time to time , however , a deep breath -- like an expression of astonishment -- escaped his breast . Ten o'clock , eleven -- midnight sounded . Buvat thought that the night would bring him aid , and he determined to go to bed . It is needless to say that his copying came to an end , when he saw that the original was assuming an illegal character . Buvat could not sleep ; the poor fellow tossed from side to side , but scarcely had he shut his eyes , before he saw this horrible plan of the conspiracy written upon the wall in letters of fire .