midnight
`` I am The Instrument of Vengeance , '' the other corrected , and departed without a bow . On opening the packet Germain , to his utter astonishment , found de Lotbinière 's Record , the precious armoury collected with so much labour by his enemies and so necessary to their case . As he looked over the documents it contained and felt the sharpness of the different thrusts , he turned hot and dizzy ; but the fact that this great find was in his possession , and lost to his opponents , gave him inexpressible satisfaction . He pored over them till far past midnight , when at last his feeling of exultation gave way to overwhelming remorse . His aspect suddenly became that of haggard misery itself ; his head dropped , and he murmured in a low , agonised voice , `` Is poor Germain Lecour really a liar , a pretender , a forger , a -- '' Aghast , his lips refused to pronounce the word . His head dropped still lower ; at the movement something fell out of his breast upon the floor . For some moments he did not perceive it .