Question

(a pane of glass falls from the window and breaks on the sill.)
hatch: (speaking over his shoulder) hush! be careful, cant you?
harry: hush, you fool.
hatch: has he broken anything?
reddy: (on floor, rubbing his head) ive broke my head.
hatch: thats no loss. has he smashed that silver?
harry: (feeling in bag) it feels all right.
(the light from a candle is seen approaching the curtains.)
hatch: hush! look there!
alice: (whispering) hush! dont make a noise. dont make a noise,
please.
hatch: (in a threatening whisper) dont you make a noise.
alice: i dont mean to. my mother is asleep upstairs and she is very ill.
and i dont want to wake her—and i dont want you to wake her,
either.
reddy: well...we wont get well away until ive had something to eat.
alice: (to reddy.) youll find plates in the pantry, please.
reddy: oh, i dont use them things.
alice: youll use \them things\ when you eat with me. go, do as i tell
you, please.
(reddy exits.)
alice: do you know, ive always wanted to meet a burglar. but its so
difficult. they go out so seldom.
hatch: yes, and they arrive so late.
alice: (laughingly) now, thats much better. its so nice of you to have
a sense of humor...
(three locomotive whistles are heard from just outside the house.)
alice: ah! at last! theyve come. theyve come!
hatch: (fiercely) theyve come! what is it? what does that mean?
what time is it when the scene takes place?
○ early in the evening, the day after christmas
○ early morning on christmas day
○ near midnight, the day after christmas
○ mid - afternoon, the day before christmas

Explanation:

Key clues: 1) A candle is used for light, indicating it is dark (nighttime). 2) Alice says her mother is asleep upstairs, consistent with late night. 3) Hatch jokes burglars "arrive so late", aligning with near midnight. 4) No explicit mention of Christmas day itself, making the day after Christmas the most fitting timeline.

Answer:

Near midnight, the day after Christmas