midnight
When they were in the round , Dougal took ae tass of brandy to himsell , and gave another to Hutcheon , and wished him all health and lang life , and said that , for himsell , he wasna lang for this world ; for that , every night since Sir Robert 's death , his silver call had sounded from the state chamber , just as it used to do at nights in his lifetime , to call Dougal to help to turn him in his bed . Dougal said that being alone with the dead on that floor of the tower -LRB- for naebody cared to wake Sir Robert Redgauntlet like another corpse -RRB- he had never daured to answer the call , but that now his conscience checked him for neglecting his duty ; for , ` though death breaks service , ' said MacCallum , ` it shall never break my service to Sir Robert ; and I will answer his next whistle , so be you will stand by me , Hutcheon . ' Hutcheon had nae will to the wark , but he had stood by Dougal in battle and broil , and he wad not fail him at this pinch ; so down the carles sat ower a stoup of brandy , and Hutcheon , who was something of a clerk , would have read a chapter of the Bible ; but Dougal would hear naething but a blaud of Davie Lindsay , whilk was the waur preparation . When midnight came , and the house was quiet as the grave , sure enough the silver whistle sounded as sharp and shrill as if Sir Robert was blowing it , and up got the twa auld serving-men , and tottered into the room where the dead man lay . Hutcheon saw aneugh at the first glance ; for there were torches in the room , which showed him the foul fiend , in his ain shape , sitting on the laird 's coffin ! Ower he cowped as if he had been dead . He could not tell how lang he lay in a trance at the door , but when he gathered himself , he cried on his neighbour , and getting nae answer , raised the house , when Dougal was found lying dead within twa steps of the bed where his master 's coffin was placed .