midnight
`` Dame Margaret or your esquire himself can best tell you that , '' the count said . `` It is a strange story indeed . '' `` And a long one , '' Dame Margaret added . `` Were I to tell it fully it would last till midnight , but I will tell you how matters befell , and to-morrow will inform you of the details more at length . '' She then related briefly the incidents that had occurred from the day of her interview with the Duke of Burgundy to that of her escape , telling of the various disguises that had been used , the manner in which Guy had overheard the councils of the butchers before they surrounded the hotel of the Duke of Aquitaine and dragged away a large number of knights and ladies to prison , and how the four men-at-arms had re-entered Paris after their escape , and remained there in readiness to aid her if required . Guy himself was not present at the narration , as he had , after staying for a short time in the room , gone down into the banqueting-hall to see that the men 's wants were well attended to , and to talk with the English men-at-arms and archers . `` It seems to me , '' Sir Eustace said when his wife had finished the story , `` that my young esquire has comported himself with singular prudence as well as bravery . ''