midnight
They met very seldom alone . When Mrs. Danvers was present she made it her business to be as much as possible in the way ; and her awkward attempts at interference were sometimes inexpressibly provoking . On one particular evening she had been unusually pertinacious and obtrusive . The major stood it tolerably well up to a certain point , but his savage temper gradually got the better of him ; his face grew darker and darker , till it was black as midnight when he rose to go , and his lips were rigid as steel . It was evident he had come to some resolution that he meant to keep . When he was wishing Bessie `` good-night , '' he held her hand imprisoned for a moment without pressing it . `` You are so good a theologian , '' he said , `` that perhaps you can tell me where a text comes from that has haunted me for the last hour .