midnight
Thyrza sat with her eyes fixed on vacancy ; she was so miserable , her heart had sunk so low , that tears would have come had she not forced them back . More than once of late she had known this mood , in which life lay about her barren and weary . She was very young to suffer that oppression of the world-worn ; it was the penalty she paid for her birthright of heart and mind . By midnight they were lying side by side , but no ` goodnight ' had passed between them . When Thyrza 's gentle breathing told that she slept , Lydia still lay with open eyes , watching the flicker of the street lamp upon the ceiling , hearing the sounds that came of mirth or brutality in streets near and far . She did not suffer in the same way as her sister ; as soon as she had gently touched Thyrza 's unconscious hand love came upon her with its warm solace ; but her trouble was deep , and she looked into the future with many doubts . The past she could scarcely deem other than happy , though a stranger would have thought it sad enough .