midnight
`` Will ye go without torches ? '' inquired Vinicius . `` The torches are carried only in advance . In every event , be near the temple of Libitina at dark , though usually we carry out the corpses only just before midnight . '' They stopped . Nothing was to be heard save the hurried breathing of Vinicius . Petronius turned to him , -- `` I said yesterday that it would be best were we both to stay at home , but now I see that I could not stay .