Midnight
The fascination of fear was upon her . In a thick , guttural , monotonous voice , the human beast continued : ` The devil has shown me that there is a potent charm in thy young innocent heart , that there are powerful spells in thy warm young blood , and that with them I may discover untold wealth . When the bell tolls out the hour of midnight , I shall take your bleeding heart out of your living body , and the heart of your brother out of his body , that with them I may decoct an essence in yonder furnace that will transmute the basest metal into gold . Midnight is the hour , and at midnight you shall die . Only the spell will be far more potent if you first give yourself to the foul fiend . Therefore , repeat after me : ` I give my soul and body to Satan . ' `` Mechanically the terror-stricken girl began : ` I give -- ' but little Pierre put his hand over her mouth .