For a long time it stared at Musya in astonishment--and then disappeared as noiselessly as it had appeared.
The bells rang and sang, for a long time, painfully.

It seemed as if the tired Hours were climbing up a high mountain toward midnight, and that it was becoming ever harder and harder to ascend.

They fall, they slip, they slide down with a groan--and then again, they climb painfully toward the black height.
Somewhere people were walking.

Somewhere people were whispering.

And they were already harnessing the horses to the black carriages without lanterns..