midnight
But , as she stayed in front of him , her hand on the door-latch , he said , with dumb violence : `` You are not going to prevent me from going to her , since I shall leave in three days ! '' Then , in presence of this young will in revolt , the mother , enclosing in herself the tumult of her contradictory thoughts , lowered her head and , without a word , stood aside to let him pass . It was their last evening , for , the day before yesterday , at the Mayor 's office of Saint-Jean-de-Luz , he had , with a hand trembling a little , signed his engagement for three years in the Second naval infantry , whose garrison was a military port of the North . It was their last evening , -- and they had said that they would make it longer than usual , -- it would last till midnight , Gracieuse had decided : midnight , which in the villages is an unseasonable and black hour , an hour after which , she did not know why , all seemed to the little betrothed graver and guiltier . In spite of the ardent desire of their senses , the idea had not come to one nor to the other that , during this last meeting , under the oppression of parting , something more might be attempted . On the contrary , at the instant so full of concentration of their farewell , they felt more chaste still , so eternal was their love . Less prudent , however , since they had not to care for the morrow , they dared to talk there , on their lovers ' bench , as they had never done before .