about midnight
I have no farther need of thee , and therefore hasten back to Master Ferreras and acquaint him with my sympathy and grief . '' The young man smiled , though the eye of the pretended servant was averted , as if he cared to respect his own admonitions ; while the other evidently sought a look of recognition and favor . In another minute , the usual order of the journey was resumed . As the night advanced , and the hour arrived when man and beast usually betray fatigue , these travellers pushed their mules the hardest ; and about midnight , by dint of hard pricking , they came under the principal gate of a small walled town , called Osma , that stood not far from the boundary of the province of Burgos , though still in that of Soria . No sooner was his mule near enough to the gate to allow of the freedom , than the young merchant in advance dealt sundry blows on it with his staff , effectually apprising those within of his presence . It required no strong pull of the reins to stop the mules of those behind ; but the pretended varlet now pushed ahead , and was about to assume his place among the principal personages near the gate , when a heavy stone , hurled from the battlements , passed so close to his head , as vividly to remind him how near he might be to making a hasty journey to another world . A cry arose in the whole party , at this narrow escape ; nor were loud imprecations on the hand that had cast the missile spared .