midnight
The trees , the thickets , were saturated ; the lower parts of the garden turned into a morass . At intervals , when the wind broke forth again , there passed overhead a wild coil of clashing branches ; and between whiles the whole enclosure continuously and stridently resounded with the rain . I advanced close to the window and contrived to read the face of my watch . It was half-past seven ; they would not retire before ten , they might not before midnight , and the prospect was unpleasant . In a lull of the wind I could hear from the inside the voice of Flora reading aloud ; the words of course inaudible -- only a flow of undecipherable speech , quiet , cordial , colourless , more intimate and winning , more eloquent of her personality , but not less beautiful than song . And the next moment the clamour of a fresh squall broke out about the cottage ; the voice was drowned in its bellowing , and I was glad to retreat from my dangerous post . For three egregious hours I must now suffer the elements to do their worst upon me , and continue to hold my ground in patience .