midnight
I flew from them , as if they were sounds from the abyss of Hades . I flew till , breathless , and half-senseless myself , I fell down exhausted by the gate of the monastery . The two most skilled in physic of the brethren were immediately summoned , and they lost not a moment in accompanying me to the cavern . All that evening , until midnight , the frenzy of the maniac seemed rather to increase than abate . But at that hour , exactly indeed as the clock struck twelve , he fell all at once into a deep sleep . Then for the first time , but not till the weary brethren had at this favourable symptom permitted themselves to return for a brief interval to the monastery , to seek refreshment for themselves and to bring down new medicines for the patient , -- then , for the first time , I rose from the Hermit 's couch by which I had hitherto kept watch , and repairing to the outer chamber , took forth the packet superscribed with my name . There , alone in that gray vault , and by the sepulchral light of the single lamp , I read what follows : -- THE HERMIT 'S MANUSCRIPT .