midnight
One goes through daily exercises of physical culture . One receives a visit from his father and mother , another from his old mother alone . There is not a false touch in the sentiment in these painful scenes . The midnight journey to the place of execution is vividly portrayed , and the different sensations of each of the seven are strikingly indicated . At the last , Musya , who is a typical Russian heroine in her splendid resolution and boundless tenderness , becomes the soul of the whole party , and tries to help them all by her gentle conduct and her words of love . The whole spirit of this book is profoundly Christian . One feels as if he were taken back in history , and were present at the execution of a group of early Christian martyrs .