midnight
`` You could n't convert Oro , anyway , '' exclaimed Bickley , with irritation . `` No , Bickley ; but then I have always understood that the devil is beyond conversion because he is beyond repentance . You see , I think that if that old scoundrel was not the devil himself , at any rate he was a bit of him , and , if I am right , I am not ashamed to have failed in his case . '' `` Even Oro was not utterly bad , Bastin , '' I said , reflecting on certain traits of mercy that he had shown , or that I dreamed him to have shown in the course of our mysterious midnight journeys to various parts of the earth . Also I remembered that he had loved Tommy and for his sake had spared our lives . Lastly , I do not altogether wonder that he came to certain hasty conclusions as to the value of our modern civilisations . `` I am very glad to hear it , Humphrey , since while there is a spark left the whole fire may burn up again , and I believe that to the Divine mercy there are no limits , though Oro will have a long road to travel before he finds it .