midnight
Then the coroner , clearing his throat , said reassuringly , `` Thar ai n't nuthin ' in the witch-face , nohow . It 's jes ' a notion . Man and boy , I have knowed that hillside fur forty year , an ' I never could see no witch-face ; it 's been p ` inted out ter me a thousand times . '' She looked at him in dumb amazement for a moment ; then broke out , `` Waal , what would ye think ef ye hed seen , like me , the witch-face shining in the darkest night , nigh on ter midnight , like the ole ` oman had lighted her a candle somewhars , -- jes ' shinin ' , an ' grinnin ' , an ' mockin ' , plain ez daybreak ? That 's what _ I _ hev viewed -- an ' I ` low ter view it agin -- oh , I do , I do ! '' He looked at her hard , but he did not say what he thought , and the faces of the jurymen , which had implied a strong exception to his declaration of skepticism touching the existence of the ominous facial outline on the hillside , underwent a sudden change of expression . She was hardly responsible , they considered , and her last incredible assertion had gone far to nullify the effect of her previous testimony .