midnight
But , meanwhile , someone had brought her here . Her dress , though damp , was not sopping wet . Even the slight token of the beaten eggs showed how time must have sped while she was lying there oblivious of everything . She tried again to question the women , and fancied that they understood her partly , as she caught the words `` meia noite , '' but it was beyond her powers to ascertain whether they meant that she had come there at midnight , or were actually telling her the hour . At any rate , they were most anxious for her well-being . The island housewife produced another dish , smiled reassuringly , and said , `` Manioc -- bom , '' repeating the phrase several times . The compound looked appetizing , and Iris ate a little .