midnight
It was sung in almost complete darkness , except for a light or two in the long nave where a dark figure or two would be kneeling , and the pleasant familiar melody , accompanied softly by the organ overhead after the bare singing of Compline , seemed like a kind of good-night kiss . The infinite pathos of the words never failed to touch him , the cry of the banished children of Eve , weeping and mourning in this vale of tears to Mary whose obedience had restored what Eve 's self-will had ruined , and the last threefold sob of endearment to the `` kindly , loving , sweet , Virgin Mary . '' After the high agonisings and aspirations of the day 's prayer , the awfulness of the holy Sacrifice , the tramping monotony of the Psalter , the sting of the discipline , the aches and sweats of the manual labour , the intent strain of the illuminating , this song to Mary was a running into Mother 's arms and finding compensation there for all toils and burdens . Finally in complete silence the monks passed along the dark cloister , sprinkled with holy water as they left the church , up to the dormitory which ran over the whole length of the chapter house , the bridges and other offices , to sleep till midnight . * * * * * The effect of this life , unbroken by external distractions , was to make Chris 's soul alert and perceptive to the inner world , and careless or even contemptuous of the ordinary world of men . This spiritual realm began for the first time to disclose its details to him , and to show itself to some extent a replica of nature . It too had its varying climate , its long summer of warmth and light , its winter of dark discontent , its strange and bewildering sunrises of Christ upon the soul , when He rose and went about His garden with perfume and music , or stayed and greeted His creature with the message of His eyes .