nearly midnight
Each of them , caught in her turn , chose me of course as her mark . Every moment I found myself seized and held prisoner in their naked , snowy arms . Upon my soul , it was maddening ! It was nearly midnight when His Excellency returned . I had lost all reckoning of the time ; now I felt I must really make off . While I was getting ready and saying a few words to Kondjé-Gul , Mohammed Azis spoke to Zouhra , Nazli , and Hadidjé . I fancied that he was questioning them , and that they replied in the negative .