midnight
`` The wretched woman fainted away . The dying man reached his bed and lay down again , and a few hours later sank into unconsciousness . The priests came and administered the sacraments . `` At midnight he died ; the scene that morning had exhausted his remaining strength , and on the stroke of midnight I arrived with Daddy Gobseck . The house was in confusion , and under cover of it we walked up into the little salon adjoining the death-chamber . The three children were there in tears , with two priests , who had come to watch with the dead . Ernest came over to me , and said that his mother desired to be alone in the Count 's room .