midnight
To say that Mademoiselle Gautier was extremely anxious over her young charge 's disappearance would be to state the case with ludicrous mildness . She was frantic , she was frenzied with anxiety . All the evening and half the night she was literally dancing with suspense , intermingled with fits of despair that reduced her , while they lasted , to a state of absolute collapse . Before midnight all Valpré knew that the little English _ demoiselle _ was missing , and all Valpré scoured the shore for her in vain . Some of the fishermen put out in boats and continued the search by moonlight as near the rocks as it was possible to go . But all to no purpose . When the moon went down , they abandoned the quest ; but at dawn , when the tide was on the turn , they were out again , searching , searching for a white , drowned face and a mass of red-brown hair .