midnight
On the days when Gilberte had warned me that she would not be coming to the Champs-Elysées , I would try to arrange my walks so that I should be brought into some kind of contact with her . Sometimes I would lead Françoise on a pilgrimage to the house in which the Swanns lived , making her repeat to me unendingly all that she had learned from the governess with regard to Mme. Swann . `` It seems , she puts great faith in medals . She would never think of starting on a journey if she had heard an owl hoot , or the death-watch in the wall , or if she had seen a cat at midnight , or if the furniture had creaked . Oh yes ! she 's a most religious lady , she is ! '' I was so madly in love with Gilberte that if , on our way , I caught sight of their old butler taking the dog out , my emotion would bring me to a standstill , I would fasten on his white whiskers eyes that melted with passion .