About eight o’clock
As it happened , this night from sunset on to moonrise was one of a darkness so remarkable that it was impossible to see anything even a foot away , also a wind blowing from the east made sounds very inaudible . Only a few of our men were on guard , since it was necessary that they should be rested till it was time for them to prepare for their great effort . Also , we had little fear of any direct attack . About eight o'clock , however , my son Roderick , one of the watch stationed in the gateway towers , who was gifted with very quick ears , reported that he thought he heard people moving on the farther side of the massive wooden doors beyond the moat . Accordingly some of us went to listen , but could distinguish nothing , and concluded therefore that he was mistaken . So we retired to our posts and waited patiently for the moon to rise . But as it chanced no moon rose , or rather we could not see her , because the sky was completely covered by thick banks of thunder-clouds presaging the break-up of a period of great heat .