Midnight
She was unable to preserve her cheerfulness . Like all strong hearts in anxiety , she became silent . The platitudes of Denas , dropped without interest , annoyed her ; she only moved her head in reply . Midnight came , and no boats . There was a pitifully frequent opening of cottage doors , and the sudden flashes of fire and candle light that followed revealed always some white , fearful face thrust out into the black night , in the hope of hearing the shouts of the home-coming men . Joan could not keep away from the door ; and the yawning of Denas , her shifting movements , her uncontrolled sleepiness , irritated Joan . In great anxiety , companionship not perfectly sympathetic is irritating ; mere mortals quiver under its infliction .