midnight
Marthe made no answer . She continued on her way and reached the farm at Bellache , where she asked Beauvisage to give her some seed-grain , saying that Monsieur d'Hauteserre advised her to get it from him to renew her crop . As soon as Marthe had left the farm , the forester went there to find out what she asked for . Six days later , Marthe , determined to be prudent , went at midnight with her provisions so as to avoid the keepers who were evidently patrolling the forest . After carrying a third supply to the senator she suddenly became terrified on hearing the abbe read aloud the public examination of the prisoners , -- for the trial was by that time begun . She took the abbe aside , and after obliging him to swear that he would keep the secret she was about to reveal as though it was said to him in the confessional , she showed him the fragments of Michu 's letter , told him the contents of it , and also the secret of the hiding-place where the senator then was . The abbe at once inquired if she had other letters from her husband that he might compare the writing .