midnight
When the Goths from Rome had sworn to the truth of their story , the King silently turned away and left the garden . An hour after , the heads of the three hundred hostages stared ghastly down from the summit of the walls . `` It was not alone to fulfil this terrible judgment that I came here , '' Teja said to Adalgoth : `` I have also to reveal a sacred secret . '' And he invited him and the other leaders of the troops to a solemn and joyless midnight banquet . When the sad feast was over , the King made a sign to old Hildebrand , who nodded , and took a dimly burning torch from the iron ring into which it was stuck on the centre column of the vaulted hall , saying : `` Follow me , children of these latter days , and take your shields with you . '' It was the third hour of the July night ; the stars glittered in the sky . Out of the hall , silently following the King and the aged master-at-arms , there stepped Guntharis and Adalgoth , Aligern , Grippa , Ragnaris , and Wisand the standard-bearer .