Midnight
Was he going to be considerate , after all ? The lunch was prepared and taken to her . Not long after this the inn quieted down , and such guests as were in the house prepared for rest . Midnight came ; all was dark in room and hall . I was sure of this , for I went through the whole building myself , contrary to my usual habit , which was to leave this task to my man-of-all-work , Burritt . All was dark , all was quiet , and I was just dropping off to sleep , when there shot up suddenly from below a shriek , which was quickly smothered , but not so quickly that I did not recognize in it that tone which is only given by hideous distress or mortal fear . `` It is Mrs. Urquhart ! ''