midnight
The guardian dog rubbed himself against his legs as he stood there . Monsieur Joseph 's room was panelled and furnished with the plainest wood . His bed was in the alcove at the back ; the only ornament was the portrait of his wife , a dark , Italian-looking woman , which hung surrounded by guns , pistols , and swords , over the low stone mantelpiece . It was just midnight , but Monsieur Joseph was not in bed . He looked a quaint figure , in a dressing-gown and a tasselled night-cap , and he sat at the table writing a long letter . He started when Riette touched the door , and Angelot saw that his hand moved mechanically towards a pair of pistols that lay beside him . Monsieur Joseph did not trust entirely to his dogs for defence .