midnight
For days , he declared , he had been endeavouring , in vain , to make anything of the figures . Dr. Hofmeier , too , examined the slip , but inclined to believe that the figures -- rude and uncouth as they were -- were only such as might be drawn by any school-boy in an idle moment . They consisted merely of a man and a woman seated on a bench , with what looked like an ornamental border running round them . After a pleasant evening 's scientific gossip , Dr. Hofmeier , a little after midnight , took his departure from the bed-side . An hour later the servants were roused from sleep by one deep , raucous cry proceeding from the professor 's room . They hastened to his door ; it was locked on the inside ; all was still within . No answer coming to their calls , the door was broken in .