midnight
Verily , he would even go forward , under the charm of his fear , which , like other morbid feelings , would feed on the object which produced it . First a step , and then a step . The glimmer was again off the mark ; and when he got to the bed , the figure was gone -- according to the old law . But the bed was too certainly there , with its deep green curtains , which were drawn close , indicating midnight ; and yet the goose at the fire , and the table laid ! Nor could Geordie explain the physical anomaly , probably for the reason that he did not try . His candle was wasting away with those endless oscillations : the figure in white itself had run off with the half of the short stump ; and he feared again to be left in the dark , where he would have a difficulty in finding his way out . Yet he felt he must draw these deep green curtains : the broad hand of Fate was upon his shoulders .