about
midnight
But he had little to say when the Colonel urged him to compare the strength by which they had undertaken to overthrow the Government , with that which was now assembling very rapidly for its support . To this statement Waverley had but one answer : ` If the cause I have undertaken be perilous , there would be the greater disgrace in abandoning it . ' And in his turn he generally silenced Colonel Talbot , and succeeded in changing the subject . One night , when , after a long dispute of this nature , the friends had separated , and our hero had retired to bed , he was awakened about midnight by a suppressed groan . He started up and listened ; it came from the apartment of Colonel Talbot , which was divided from his own by a wainscoted partition , with a door of communication . Waverley approached this door , and distinctly heard one or two deep-drawn sighs . What could be the matter ?