midnight
An Egyptian village , not far removed from some of the great temples of the dead past . Above our heads waved tall palm trees . Around was a strange land , and a wild , lawless people . The hour was midnight , and our business was with the dead . `` We had not waited above three minutes when I knew that the room was peopled -- by whom I knew not , except that they came from that land from whose bourne , your greatest poet says , ` no traveller returns . ' I looked at Abou . His face was as the face of the dead , except for his eyes .