midnight
Only on the ground-floor of the large house in the rear of St. Sebald 's church a lonely candle was burning , and the watchman , who was just walking past with his long horn and iron pike , looked inquisitively into the window , the shutters of which were not entirely closed . `` H 'm ! '' he said to himself in a low voice , `` the poor woman is kneeling and weeping and praying ; I am sure it is for her husband . In her grief she did not notice , perhaps , that it is already midnight . I will remind her of it , so that she may go to bed . '' He placed himself on the street in front of the house , blew his horn noisily , and then sang in a ringing voice : `` Hort , Ihr Herren , und lasst euch sagen , Die Glock hat zwolf geschlagen ; Ein Jeder bewahr sein Feuer und Licht , Dass dieser Stadt kein Harm geschicht ! '' -LSB- Footnote : The ancient song of the German watchman .