midnight
Although I determined upon this course as being clearly my duty , in the event of my being too late to return to Earth , the desperate nature of such a proceeding roused me to action . We had now risen from the canal and were floating slowly in the air at a considerable height . Striving hard to suppress my agitation , I urged Reon to make more speed , and he at once responded by increasing the power . As it was now after midnight in this part of Mars , we were in no danger of encountering small aerenoids in our flight , and in a few moments , to my great relief , I distinguished the observatory lying far beneath us . Describing circles over the building , we slowly descended and in a few seconds we had reached the balcony . Thanking my companion with a hearty handshake -LRB- which came perfectly natural even on Mars -RRB- , I bade him adieu , and , stepping on to the balcony , made my way into the observatory with all haste . Everything was in the condition I had left it , and I was greatly relieved to find that the necessary time for the process of departure still remained , before wave contact with Paris ceased .