midnight
One evening , after the sempiternal pursuit , she told her lover to come to the back door and towards midnight she would open everything to him . Now note , this was on a winter 's night ; the Rue St. Montfumier is close to the Loire , and in this corner there continually blow in winter , winds sharp as a hundred needle-points . The good hunchback , well muffled up in his mantle , failed not to come , and trotted up and down to keep himself warm while waiting for the appointed hour . Towards midnight he was half frozen , as fidgety as thirty-two devils caught in a stole , and was about to give up his happiness , when a feeble light passed by the cracks of the window and came down towards the little door . `` Ah , it is she ! '' said he . And this hope warned him once more .