about midnight
Occasionally we caught some indistinct idea of their meaning , when we would endeavour by every method in our power to communicate the desired intelligence . At such times their gratification was boundless , and they would redouble their efforts to make us comprehend them more perfectly . But all in vain ; and in the end they looked at us despairingly , as if we were the receptacles of invaluable information ; but how to come at it they knew not . After a while the group around us gradually dispersed , and we were left about midnight -LRB- as we conjectured -RRB- with those who appeared to be permanent residents of the house . These individuals now provided us with fresh mats to lie upon , covered us with several folds of tappa , and then extinguishing the tapers that had been burning , threw themselves down beside us , and after a little desultory conversation were soon sound asleep . VARIOUS and conflicting were the thoughts which oppressed me during the silent hours that followed the events related in the preceding chapter . Toby , wearied with the fatigues of the day , slumbered heavily by my side ; but the pain under which I was suffering effectually prevented my sleeping , and I remained distressingly alive to all the fearful circumstances of our present situation .