midnight
For the first time he felt how great a danger he ran of being dragged into this marsh and becoming a lost , evil man ; but never , he thought , would he have been so corrupt , so worthless , as this prince . His uncle 's words again returned to his mind , and he now raised his head proudly and arched his chest as if to assure himself of his own unbroken vigor , saying meanwhile , with a long breath , that he was of too much worth to ruin himself for the sake of a wicked woman , even though , like Kasana , she was the fairest and most bewitching under the sun . Away , away from the neighborhood of this net , which threatened to entangle him in murder and every deed of infamy . Resolved to seek his people , he turned toward the gate of the camp , but after a few hasty steps paused , and a glance at the sky showed him that it was the second hour past midnight . Every surrounding object was buried in silence save that from the neighboring Dens of the royal steeds , came the sound of the rattle of a chain , or of the stamp of a stallion 's hoof . If he risked escaping from the camp now , he could not fail to be seen and stopped . Prudence commanded him to curb his impatience and , as he glanced around , his eyes rested on the chamberlain 's tent from which the old slave had just emerged to look for his master , who was still waiting in the prince 's tent for his lord 's return .