midnight
Was I to ascribe this relief from his presence to the promise of the Shadow ; or was I not rather right in battling firmly against any grotesque illusion , and accepting his departure as a simple proof that my jealous fears had been amongst my other chimeras , and that as he had really only visited Lilian out of friendship to me , in my peril , so he might , with his characteristic acuteness , have guessed my jealousy , and ceased his visits from a kindly motive delicately concealed ? And might not the same motive now have dictated the words which were intended to assure me that L -- contained no attractions to tempt him to return to it ? Thus , gradually soothed and cheered by the course to which my reflections led me , I continued to muse for hours . At length , looking at my watch , I was surprised to find it was the second hour after midnight . I was just about to rise from my chair to undress , and secure some hours of sleep , when the well-remembered cold wind passed through the room , stirring the roots of my hair ; and before me stood , against the wall , the Luminous Shadow . `` Rise and follow me , '' said the voice , sounding much nearer than it had ever done before . And at those words I rose mechanically , and like a sleepwalker .