midnight
`` He is a hero ! a hero ! '' cried he in every tone , `` and we are only old women compared to that European ! '' As to the president , after having requested the spectators to withdraw , he re-entered the passenger 's cabin , and did not leave it till the bell of the steamer rang out the midnight quarter . But then the two rivals in popularity shook each other warmly by the hand , and separated friends . The next day the sun did not rise early enough to satisfy public impatience . Barbicane , fearing that indiscreet questions would be put to Michel Ardan , would like to have reduced his auditors to a small number of adepts , to his colleagues for instance .