midnight
It had looked threatening when he left the house , but , as he went , the clouds piled themselves up with inconceivable rapidity , and before he was three miles out on the plain , the storm broke , with a sudden fury from which there was no escape . He took to his heels , and ran to the next village , some quarter of a mile in front of him . There , in the smoky room of a tiny inn , together with a handful of country-people , he was held a prisoner for over two hours ; the rain pelted , and the thunder cracked immediately overhead . When , drenched to the skin , he reached the top of the hill again , it was going on for midnight . He had been absent for close on four hours . The candle in her room was guttering in its socket . By its failing light , he saw that she was lying across the bed , still dressed .