midnight
The wind from the lake and the laughter and talk of people passing under the lights cooled the fever in him , as once it had been cooled by the eloquence of John Telfer , walking on the road near Caxton , and with his voice marshalling the armies of the standing corn . Into Sam 's mind came a picture of the cold , silent water moving in great masses under the night sky and he thought that in the world of men there was a force as resistless , as little understood , as little talked of , moving always forward , silent , powerful -- the force of sex . He wondered how the force would be broken in his own case , against what breakwater it would spend itself . At midnight , he went home across the city and crept into his alcove in the Pergrin house , puzzled and for the time utterly tired . In his bed , he turned his face to the wall and resolutely closing his eyes tried to sleep . `` There are things not to be understood , '' he told himself . `` To live decently is a matter of good sense .