midnight
Her eyes had seen him lurking stealthily in the dark hall , near her father 's bedroom door , late on the night of that father 's murder . She had spoken to him , and at the sound of her voice he had shrunk silently out of sight . Yet she had discredited the evidence of her own eyes , and persuaded herself that she had been the subject of an optical illusion . Her ears had heard a part of his midnight conversation with his female confederate under the balcony -- had heard his prediction that something would happen that night to prevent the marriage that he promised her should never take place -- a prediction so awfully fulfilled in the morning by the discovery of the dead body of her murdered father ! She had fainted at the sound of his voice , uttering such treacherous and cruel words ; yet on her return to consciousness she had disbelieved the evidence of her own ears , and convinced herself that she had been the victim of a nightmare dream ! Yes ! she had disallowed the direct evidence of her own senses rather than believe such diabolical wickedness of her idol !