midnight
`` There never was but one . That was sunk hundreds of years ago ; if you saw any village there yesterday it was that : it comes up only once in a hundred years , and then it remains for only a single day . Woe betide the traveller that stops there _ that _ day . Unless he have a true heart , he goes down with the town at midnight . The town was cursed because it waxed rich , and became so wicked that there was found in it but one heart that was true . '' `` Tell me about this strange village , '' said Lek , in fear and awe , recalling his adventure . `` I never before heard of a thing so mysterious . ''