midnight
But if what he had done in his madness was bravery , it was an accursed thing ; and he set his teeth and cursed himself scarce knowing what he was saying . It promised to be an endless night for him ; and there were other nights to come -- interminable nights . And now he began to watch the clock -- strained eyes riveted on the stiff gilded hands -- and on the little one jerkily , pitilessly recording the seconds and twitching them one by one into eternity . Nearer and nearer to midnight crept the gilded , flamboyant hour-hand ; the gaunter minute-hand was slowly but inexorably overtaking it . Nearer , nearer , they drew together ; then came the ominous click ; a moment 's suspense ; the high-keyed gong quivered twelve times under the impact of the tiny steel hammer . And he never would hear her voice again . And he dropped to his knees asking mercy on them both .