Midnight
Loyalty and manliness and the fear of evil report pulled him one way ; greed , ambition , desire for revenge , terror of Father Jerome and the thunders of the Church pulled him another . His mind was so torn with dissension and struggle that at last he gave up all endeavour to fix a path for himself . He sat blank and apathetic , conscious only that he was carrying out the order so menacingly given to him by Basil . Midnight came , and he roused himself and stood up . He listened for signs of wakefulness in his household , but , within and without , the hour was soundless . He stole across the room to the window , then hesitated . Pressing his burning temples with his hands , he tried to come to some decision as to his conduct .