about ten
o’clock
At any rate , as soon as Lady Clare reappeared in the meadow Shag 's cup of bliss seemed to be full . A week passed in this way , nothing happened , and Erik 's vigilance was relaxed . He went to bed on the evening of July 10th with an easy mind , without the remotest apprehension of danger . The sun set about ten o'clock , and Lady Clare and Shag greeted its last departing rays with a whinny , accompanied by a wanton kickup from the rear -- for whatever Lady Clare did Shag felt in honor bound to do , and was conscious of no disgrace in his abject and ape-like imitation . They had spent an hour , perhaps , in such delightful performances , when all of a sudden they were startled by a deep bass whinny , which rumbled and shook like distant thunder . Then came the tramp , tramp , tramp of heavy hoof-beats , which made the ground tremble . Lady Clare lifted her beautiful head and looked with fearless curiosity in the direction whence the sound came .