midnight before
As it was , he remained suspicious . He did not like that woman who had watched so patiently his coming and going at the station . With strong headlights glaring -- for the night was extremely dark and a strong wind was blowing -- they were soon out on the broad highway which leads first across the plain and then beside the sea , and again across the lowlands to old-world Arles . It was midnight before they got to the village of Lancon , an obscure little place in total darkness . But on the way the driver , who had told Hugh that his name was Henri Aramon , and who insinuated that he was one of The Sparrow 's associates , became most affable and talkative . Over those miles of dark roads , unfamiliar to Hugh , they travelled at high speed , for Henri had from the first showed himself to be an expert driver , not only in the unceasing traffic of the main streets of Marseilles , but also on the dark , much-worn roads leading out of the city . The roads around Marseilles have never been outstanding for their excellence , and after the war they were indeed execrable .