about midnight
I joined the little crowd assembled outside the house myself , to listen to the wonderful concert , and I can assure you that the greatest prima-donnas I have ever heard were poor every-day performers compared to the lady we heard that night . I _ never _ heard any one sing with such marvellously touching expression , and such absolute finish of execution ; never had had any idea of such long-sustained notes , such nightingale roulades , such crescendoes and diminuendoes , such swellings to an organ-like _ forte _ , such dyings down to the most imperceptible whisper . There was not a soul in all the crowd able to resist the magic spell of this wonderful singing ; and when she stopped , you heard nothing but sighs breaking the silence . It was probably about midnight , when , all at once we heard Krespel talking loudly and excitedly ; another male voice , to judge by the tone of it , bitterly reproaching him about something , and a woman intervening as best she could tearfully , in broken phrases . Krespel screamed louder and louder , till at last he broke into that horrible _ singing _ tone which you know . A loud shriek from the lady interrupted him : then all was as still as death ; and suddenly steps came rapidly down the stairs , and a young man came out , sobbing , and , jumping into a carriage which was standing near , drove rapidly away . '' ` The next day Krespel appeared quite in his ordinary condition , as if nothing had happened , and no one had the courage to allude to the events of the previous night ; but the housekeeper said Krespel had brought home a most beautiful lady , quite young ; that he called her Antonia , and that it was she who sung so splendidly ; and that a young gentleman had also come , who seemed to be deeply attached to Antonia , and , as she supposed , was engaged to her ; but that he had had to go away , because Krespel had insisted on it .