midnight
A TALE OF THE TIMES OF LOUIS XIV . _ The little house in which lived Madeleine de Scudéri , -LSB- 1 -RSB- well known for her pleasing verses , and the favour of Louis XIV . and the Marchioness de Maintenon , was situated in the Rue St. Honorée . One night almost at midnight -- it would be about the autumn , of the year 1680 -- there came such a loud and violent knocking at the door of her house that it made the whole entrance-passage ring again . Baptiste , who in the lady 's small household discharged at one and the same time the offices of cook , footman , and porter , had with his mistress 's permission gone into the country to attend his sister 's wedding ; and thus it happened that La Martinière , Mademoiselle 's lady-maid was alone , and the only person awake in the house . The knockings were repeated . She suddenly remembered that Baptiste had gone for his holiday , and that she and her mistress were left in the house without any further protection .