midnight
`` It takes time to hack them to pieces , perhaps . In this case even you , citizen Chauvelin , said that it would take time . Well , it has taken just seventeen days , and now the end is in sight . '' It was close on midnight in the guard-room which gave on the innermost cell of the Conciergerie . Heron had just visited the prisoner as was his wont at this hour of the night . He had watched the changing of the guard , inspected the night-watch , questioned the sergeant in charge , and finally he had been on the point of retiring to his own new quarters in the house of Justice , in the near vicinity of the Conciergerie , when citizen Chauvelin entered the guard-room unexpectedly and detained his colleague with the peremptory question : `` How is it now ? '' `` If you are so near the end , citizen Heron , '' he now said , sinking his voice to a whisper , `` why not make a final effort and end it to-night ? ''