about midnight
But they did not come that night , and in the morning , in anticipation of the fun that would probably be poked at her for her alarm , the mother began to joke at herself . The searchers appeared at the very time they were not expected , nearly a month after this anxious night . Nikolay Vyesovshchikov was at Pavel 's house talking with him and Andrey about their newspaper . It was late , about midnight . The mother was already in bed . Half awake , half asleep , she listened to the low , busy voices . Presently Andrey got up and carefully picked his way through and out of the kitchen , quietly shutting the door after him .