midnight
The King stirred . The hermit sprang noiselessly to the bedside , and went down upon his knees , bending over the prostrate form with his knife uplifted . The boy stirred again ; his eyes came open for an instant , but there was no speculation in them , they saw nothing ; the next moment his tranquil breathing showed that his sleep was sound once more . The hermit watched and listened , for a time , keeping his position and scarcely breathing ; then he slowly lowered his arms , and presently crept away , saying , -- `` It is long past midnight ; it is not best that he should cry out , lest by accident someone be passing . '' He glided about his hovel , gathering a rag here , a thong there , and another one yonder ; then he returned , and by careful and gentle handling he managed to tie the King 's ankles together without waking him . Next he essayed to tie the wrists ; he made several attempts to cross them , but the boy always drew one hand or the other away , just as the cord was ready to be applied ; but at last , when the archangel was almost ready to despair , the boy crossed his hands himself , and the next moment they were bound . Now a bandage was passed under the sleeper 's chin and brought up over his head and tied fast -- and so softly , so gradually , and so deftly were the knots drawn together and compacted , that the boy slept peacefully through it all without stirring .