ten o'clock at night
It was partly , no doubt , his studies as a naturalist that led him to insist upon points that united rather than divided the orders of creation ; and he told him stories first from such writers as Michael Verdunus and Petrus Burgottus , who relate among other marvels how there are ointments by the use of which shepherds have been known to change themselves into wolves and tear the sheep that they should have protected ; and he quoted to him St. Augustine 's own testimony , to the belief that in Italy certain women were able to change themselves into heifers through the power of witchcraft . Finally , he told him one or two tales of his own experience . `` In the year ' 63 , '' he said , `` before my marriage , I was living alone in the Hall ; I was a young man , and did my best to fear nought but deadly sin . I was coming back late from Threlkeld , round the south of Skiddaw that you see over there ; and was going with a lantern , for it would be ten o'clock at night , and the time of year was autumn . I was still a mile or two from the house , and was saying my beads as I came , for I hold that is a great protection ; when I heard a strange whistling noise , with a murmur in it , high up overhead in the night . ` It is the birds going south , ' I said to myself , for you know that great flocks fly by night when the cold begins to set in ; but the sound grew louder and more distinct , and at last I could hear the sound as of words gabbled in a foreign tongue ; and I knew they were no birds , though maybe they had wings like them . But I knew that a Christened soul in grace has nought to fear from hell ; so I crossed myself and said my beads , and kept my eyes on the ground , and presently I saw my lights burning in the house , and heard the roar of the stream , and the gabbling above me ceased , as the sound of the running water began .