midnight
`` Better that you should tell me your part of the story first or I may be giving you stale news . '' `` Truly , I have little to tell , '' Crosby said . `` I am no rebel , though the charge might with some show of reason be brought against me . To-day -- or yesterday rather , for it must be long after midnight -- my house was secretly surrounded . My servant told me when I returned in the afternoon , and informed me also that a man was waiting to see me . '' `` Who was it ? '' Fairley asked .