midnight
Then she looked up of her own accord and kissed him . `` In this way , '' she resumed , `` it became my custom on each Saturday , after closing the forge , to come here with my woman 's raiment , and wait in a hollow until night had fallen , and make myself clean of the week 's blackness . For I dared not do this by daylight , or be seen going forth from my forge in my proper person . '' `` But why did you choose to bathe at midnight ? '' asked the King . She was silent for a few moments , and then said hurriedly , `` I did not choose to bathe at midnight until a month ago . -- For the rest , '' she resumed , `` I was hard to please in the matter of the shoes because I knew that when they were finished you would ride away .