midnight
The air was mild , the night clear and bright . Cayrol 's carriage rolled rapidly along the broad avenue of the park shadowed by tall trees , the lanterns throwing , as they passed , their quivering light on the thickets . The rumbling carriages took the last guests to the railway station . It was past midnight . A nightingale began singing his song of love to the stars . Madame Desvarennes mechanically stopped to listen . A sense of sorrow came over this mother who was a prey to the most cruel mental anguish .