nearly twenty minutes
past two o'clock
`` No . '' He went towards the door , and his wife followed him meekly . Sabina 's strength revived in the warm night air , out in the courtyard , under the stars , and the awful danger from which Malipieri had saved her and himself looked unreal , after the first few moments of liberty . She got his watch out of her glove where it had been so many hours , and by the clear starlight they could see that it was nearly twenty minutes past two o'clock . Malipieri had put out the lamp , and the lantern had gone out for lack of oil , at the last moment . It was important that Sabina should not be seen by the porter , in the very unlikely event of his being up at that hour . They had not thought that it could be so late , for it was long since Sabina had looked at the watch .