midnight
Pilar knew that she had nothing to hope from him : her mother had beaten him into submission long since . Doña Brígida , without a word , drove Pilar into the cave , and she and the vaquero , exerting their great strength to the full , pushed the stone into the entrance . There was a narrow rift at the top . The cave was as black as a starless midnight . Then Doña Brígida spoke for the first time : -- `` Once a week I shall come with food and drink . There thou wilt stay until thy teeth fall , the skin bags from thy bones , and thou art so hideous that all men will run from thee . Then thou canst come forth and go and live on the charity of the father to whom thou wouldst have taken a polluted priest . ''