midnight
` Ah , sir ! ' the poor fellow sighed heavily , ` and how happy we were together ! She died without me ! The first I heard here , they 'd buried her already , you know ; I hurried off at once to the village , home -- I got there -- it was past midnight . I went into my hut , stood still in the middle of the room , and softly I whispered , `` Masha ! eh , Masha ! '' Nothing but the cricket chirping .