midnight
`` Meanwhile I was on the alert to cast the horoscope of the child the very hour it should arrive . My preparations had been all made for some time past . Now was I only studying the stars night by night , so that I should be the better prepared to read them correctly . `` At last , almost at the midnight hour , came a messenger running to the tower with the news that a child had been born -- a son , Allah be praised . Then I set me instantly to my task , and it was with deep thankfulness I saw that the conjunction of the planets and stars was highly favourable . I carefully recorded the exact position of each heavenly body , and had already read from my rough chart strength and valour for the boy that had just been born , beauty of figure , good endowments of mind , when once again I lifted my eyes to the heavens . But to my horror and dismay at that very instant a streak of fire shot from west to east across the first house , straight toward the planet there ruling , where it disappeared .