About
midnight
He understood so well now Gottfried 's delight in tramping the roads without a tie in the world ! Often they used to go out together in the evening into the country , straight on , aimlessly , and as Gottfried always forgot the time , they used to come back very late , and then were scolded . Gottfried knew that it was wrong , but Jean-Christophe used to implore , and he could not himself resist the pleasure of it . About midnight he would stand in front of the house and whistle , an agreed signal . Jean-Christophe would be in his bed fully dressed . He would slip out with his shoes in his hand , and , holding his breath , creep with all the artful skill of a savage to the kitchen window , which opened on to the road . He would climb on to the table ; Gottfried would take him on his shoulders , and then off they would go , happy as truants .