midnight
Nancy having been dismissed for the night , she had no fear of being interrupted . She made her few preparations , switched off the light , and sat down to wait until she could be sure that all the servants were abed , and the streets deserted . She felt as if she were a forlorn castaway upon a pinpoint of land , with immeasurable dark depths upon either side . The midnight express screeched and was gone . She switched on the light for a last look about her pretty , pleasant room . There was a snapshot of the Parish House people upon her mantel , and she nodded to it , gravely , before she once more plunged the room into darkness . Noiselessly she slipped downstairs and let herself out .