midnight
The short remarks that were exchanged between him and Ethel , and afterward between him and the men , were followed by a profound silence . Ethel sat by the side of the priest , with her head bent forward and her eyes closed as though she were asleep ; yet sleep was farther from her than ever it had been , and the thrilling events of the night afforded sufficient material to keep her awake for many a long hour yet to come . Her mind was now filled with a thousand conflicting and most exciting fancies , in the midst of which she might again have sunk into despair had she not been sustained by the assurance of the priest . Sitting near Ethel , the priest for some time looked fixedly ahead of him as though he were contemplating the solemn midnight scene , or meditating upon the beauties of nature . In truth , the scene around was one which was deserving even of the close attention which the priest appeared to give . Immediately before him lay the lake , its shore not far beneath , and almost at their feet . Around it arose the wooded hills , whose dark forms , darker from the gloom of night , threw profound shadows over the opposite shores .