about nine at night
Now he was on the outer side of the door , and he shut it , and then locked it and tossed the key into the snow . But which way was he to go ? He could not make out the locality , but it was evident that the hill rose above him , and he knew that from its summit he could discern the bearings of places , so he resolved to ascend . It was now about nine at night , an hour when our ancestors generally retired to rest . All Alfgar 's desire and hope -- O how joyful a hope ! -- was to see from the hill the bearings of Clifton , and to descend , with all the speed in his power , towards it . He might arrive before they had retired to rest .