midnight
Consequently , other reasons must have kept him in England . Heideck began to fear that either his knowledge of men , so often tried , had deceived him on this occasion , or that Brandelaar had fallen a victim to some act of imprudence in England . A whole week having passed since Brandelaar had started , Heideck at least hoped for his return to-day . The north wind had increased towards evening ; there was almost a storm , and the blast rattled violently at the windows of the room in the hotel , in which Heideck sat still writing at midnight . A gentle knock at the door made him look up from his work . Who could have come to see him at this late hour ? It was certainly not an orderly from his office , which was open day and night , for soldiers ' fingers as a rule knocked harder .