midnight
At the foot of the castle-hill , along the banks of the Danube was a group of tottering houses ; tottering because in spring , when the ice broke up , the Danube roared and dashed among them . Here lived the fiacre drivers . Here were the cab-horses in tumble-down stables . It was a ball-night : in the windows of the tumble-down houses candles were burning , for the cabmen were waiting till midnight , when they would again harness their horses and return to fetch their patrons from the ball-room . Márton looked in at one window so lighted ; he had to climb up on something to do so , for the ground floor was built high , in order that the water might not enter at the windows . `` He is at home , '' he remarked , as he stepped down , `` but he is evidently preparing to go out again , for he has his top-coat on . '' The gate was open ; the carriage was in the courtyard , the horses in the shafts , covered with rugs .