midnight
She glided away as she spoke without waiting for him to answer , and as soon as he was free from the magic of her presence , reaction came and he was torn by a thousand doubts and fears and worse . `` Why , I 'm mad , mad , '' he groaned . `` I 've no right to tell what I said I would , no right at all . '' And again there returned to him his vivid , dreadful memory of how she had started on that midnight drive with her car so awfully laden . And again there returned to him his old appalling doubt : `` Did she not know ? '' And though he would willingly have left his life in her hands , he knew he had no right to put that of others there , and yet it seemed to him he must keep the appointment and the promise he had made . About nine that evening , then , he made his way to the sweet-pea border , though , as he went , he resolved that he would not tell her what he had said he would .