three
o'clock
With earnest prayer , almost with force , Adrian tried to draw Idris from me . He exhausted every adjuration , her child 's welfare and his own . She shook her head , and wiped a stealing tear from her sunk cheek , but would not yield ; she entreated to be allowed to watch me that one night only , with such affliction and meek earnestness , that she gained her point , and sat silent and motionless , except when , stung by intolerable remembrance , she kissed my closed eyes and pallid lips , and pressed my stiffening hands to her beating heart . At dead of night , when , though it was mid winter , the cock crowed at three o'clock , as herald of the morning change , while hanging over me , and mourning in silent , bitter thought for the loss of all of love towards her that had been enshrined in my heart ; her dishevelled hair hung over her face , and the long tresses fell on the bed ; she saw one ringlet in motion , and the scattered hair slightly stirred , as by a breath . It is not so , she thought , for he will never breathe more . Several times the same thing occurred , and she only marked it by the same reflection ; till the whole ringlet waved back , and she thought she saw my breast heave . Her first emotion was deadly fear , cold dew stood on her brow ; my eyes half opened ; and , re-assured , she would have exclaimed , `` He lives ! ''