midnight
Passion was working strongly within him . `` But she does not put compulsion upon me . '' The candle was expiring in the socket , and he lit another and put it in its place . It was past midnight . He remained for a little with the candlestick in his hand , and then took the light in to Gjert . The boy was lying in his mother 's place , and had evidently cried himself to sleep . His father stood for a long while over him .