two hours after midnight
Marian heard her voice afterward in the apartment of the drunken lodger , and suspected from its emphasis that the girl was describing the rare things she had seen . Marian imparted some interest to her surroundings that evening by describing them in a letter to Elinor . When she had finished , she was weary ; and the fire was nearly out . She looked at her watch , and , finding to her surprise that is was two hours after midnight , rose to go to bed . Before leaving the room , she stood for a minute before the old-fashioned pier-glass , with one foot on the fender , and looked at her image , pitying her own weariness , and enjoying the soft beauty of her face and the gentleness of her expression . Her appearance did not always please her ; but on this occasion the mirror added so much to the solace she had found in writing to Elinor , that she felt almost happy as she took the lamp to light her to her bedroom . She had gone no farther than the landing when a sound of unsteady footsteps on the stairs caused her to stop .