Just a few days ago, when Derek McInnes was asked about the prospect of hosting Rangers in a seismic title showdown, he sounded more like the conductor of an orchestra than a football manager.
'We just want Tynecastle to be in its full glory,' said the Hearts manager. 'We want it to be even better than it's been. To the supporters, bring your scarves, show your colours, give it laldy.'
'Let's go and make it a proper night. We'll be determined to get the right result. We see it as a fight that we can win.'
In a season where nothing has ever felt certain, the noise levels are guaranteed to be through the roof as 20,000 Hearts supporters give it laldy. McInnes can be assured of that.
A roaring and rumbustious cauldron which stirs the soul, Tynecastle has witnessed plenty of memorable nights over the years.
One of the most atmospheric venues in all of British football, it has seen all kinds of thrillers and humdingers, but few could match the historical significance of what could unfold tomorrow evening.
Hearts Have Title Destiny in Their Own Hands
On a Bank Holiday Monday, with a teatime kick-off ensuring the maroon legions will be suitably refreshed and in fine voice, Hearts have a chance to land a decisive blow in this compelling and chaotic title race.
Hearts go into this match knowing that victory would not only move them one step closer to glory, but with the added incentive of killing off one of their main rivals.
Victory would move Hearts seven points clear of Rangers with only three games remaining. A three-horse race would surely be reduced to two.
Over recent weeks, the Rangers fans have unfurled banners emblazoned with the words 'keep believing', in reference to their former defender Marvin Andrews and the miracle of Helicopter Sunday in 2005.
But if Danny Rohl's side were to lose in Gorgie, the cold harsh reality is that they would then need the kind of miracle that few would be prepared to believe in.
Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland spoke earlier this week about eliminating Rangers from the title race. It was not bravado, but a calm and measured statement of intent.
It is Hearts who hold all the aces. They are top of the league, as they have been for much of the season, and they are the team in the ascendancy.
The derby victory away against Hibs at Easter Road last weekend imbued a fresh sense of belief and confidence, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory.
They are unbeaten at home in the league all season. Tynecastle has become a fortress which no visiting team has yet been able to conquer.
Across all major European leagues, the only teams who can match that record this term are Barcelona, FC Porto, Benfica and Union Saint-Gilloise.
It is esteemed company. USG, who, like Hearts, have received significant investment from Tony Bloom, are well placed to win a second straight league title in Belgium.
For Hearts, the notion of going back-to-back can wait. First and foremost, they need to negotiate these final four games and get over the line in the current campaign.
Hearts' Strong Record Against Old Firm
Over the course of the season, Hearts have put together an excellent record against both of the Old Firm teams.
In three games against Celtic, they have won two and drawn one. In three matches against Rangers, they have won two and lost once.
That equates to 13 points from a possible 18. These games, along with the overall unbeaten record at home, has formed the backbone of their season.
When Rangers last visited Tynecastle back in December, they were swept aside in ruthless fashion. The scoreline may only have been 2-1 to Hearts, but Rangers were second best in every department.
Especially in midfield, Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande were empty jerseys. From Rohl's point of view, that cannot be allowed to happen again.
Diomande did not start the 3-2 defeat at home to Motherwell last weekend, but the expectation is that he will come back into the team for this one.
When Rangers beat Hearts 4-2 at Ibrox in mid-February, Hearts were gravely weakened by the absence of both Shankland and Cammy Devlin.
In terms of overall performance levels, that match probably stands as the high-water mark of Rohl's tenure thus far, even accounting for the 3-1 win away at Celtic Park at the turn of the year.
Can Rangers replicate that? Can they summon a late show of defiance to turn this title race on its head once again?
Nobody would write them off, but nor would anyone be able to make a case for them doing it on the basis of what they produced against Motherwell last week.
Pressure Mounts on Rangers' Rohl
The pressure is on Rohl. If he loses a title race against a Hearts team with a vastly inferior budget, and one of the worst Celtic teams in living memory, questions will be asked over his long-term suitability.
That's just how it works in Glasgow. Philippe Clement suffered a similar sort of collapse in his first season at the helm and, from there, his card was marked.
Rohl steadied the ship when he arrived and dragged Rangers back into the title race. But the team still have no appreciable identity or style of play. That's a concern.
If Rangers were to completely flop in the run-in and be out of contention with three games to play, it would go down as a major blemish on his record.
For Rangers and Rohl, this is last-chance saloon. It's a must-win game. The necessity to take all three points is absolutely non-negotiable.
The picture is different for Hearts. A draw would be no disaster for them. They would still be top of the table with three games to play.
But if McInnes can lead his players to victory? Wow. What a statement that would be. History would be within their grasp — and they would have one hand firmly on the trophy.
The rebellion which has been brewing in Gorgie all season would be tantalisingly close to fulfilling its objective of disrupting the natural order of Scottish football.
The Old Firm duopoly would be cracked, with three games left in the quest to shatter it completely.
There are moments in sport when possibility hardens into probability, when the weight of momentum tips the scales so decisively that a single result feels like destiny taking shape.
What we will witness tomorrow evening at Tynecastle offers precisely such a threshold for Hearts and McInnes.
Hearts have done the hard yards. They've won the big games. They hold the position of strength. This is their chance to ram it home.
History is firmly within their grasp. Now is the chance to show the courage and quality to seize it.
