nearly midnight
She began to loathe them -- these satiated little boys , these unknown friends , for whom she must rack her brains . They cleared a snug little fortune that Christmas . On Christmas Eve they smiled wanly at each other , like two comrades who have fought and bled together , and won . When they left the store it was nearly midnight . Belated shoppers , bundle-laden , carrying holly wreaths , with strange handles , and painted heads , and sticks protruding from lumpy brown paper burdens , were hurrying home . They stumbled home , too spent to talk . Fanny , groping for the keyhole , stubbed her toe against a wooden box between the storm door and the inner door .