midnight
And creeping cautiously along in the shadows , she reached a flight of the broad stone steps leading down to the river . She descended them , one by one ; the black water lapped against them heavily , heavily ; the tide was full up . She paused ; a sonorous , deep-toned iron voice rang through the air with reverberating , solemn melody . It was the great bell of St. Paul 's tolling midnight -- the Old Year was dead . `` Straight home ! '' she repeated , with a beautiful , expectant look in her wild , weary eyes . `` My little darling !