midnight
And the very last one of all was clad in a bath robe and wore a black skullcap . Perhaps no one in all Gilead , or indeed wherever the message of the angels might reach in the hearts of men that night , had grasped the inner meaning of their song as the old Dean . He had just finished placing his gifts upon the tree , and was turning to leave , when suddenly from the room above , where Jean and Helen slept , there came a wonderful sound . The old clock down the hall was striking midnight , and keeping to the custom of those fortunate enough to have been born in the Robbins family , the girls had opened their windows to the silent moonlit glory of the night , and sang in chorus : `` Oh , come all ye faithful , joyful and triumphant , Oh , come ye , oh , come ye to Bethlehem , Come and behold Him , born the King of Angels , Oh , come let us adore Him , Oh , come let us adore Him , Oh , come let us adore Him , Christ the Lord . '' The Dean knelt in prayer beside the Christmas tree . If it had not been for the opening of Hope College the week after New Years , Miss Daphne declared , for her part , she would not have gone back to Delphi until she had at least seen the arbutus bloom again in April . After Christmas at Greenacres , Cousin Roxy insisted on both her and the Dean visiting at Elmhurst , but before they left , the Dean had unfolded his plan .