midnight
But in the morning one of the housemaids would show him . Had she the key ? She produced it , thought no more of it , and went to bed . He waited in his room till after midnight , then took off his shoes , his pride smarting , and emerged . There was one electric light burning in the hall below . This gave enough glimmer on the broad open landing for him to grope his way by , and he went noiselessly toward the staircase leading up to Beatty 's rooms . Once , just as he reached it , he thought he caught the faint noise of low talking somewhere in the house , an indeterminate sound not to be located .