noon
As its opening fronted the west , he found that even here there might be sunshine . The golden light which blesses the high and low places of the earth did not disdain to cheer and adorn even this humble chamber , which , at the bidding of nature , the waters had patiently scooped out of the hard rock . Some hours after darkness had settled down on the lands of the tropics , and long after the stars had come out in the skies over English heads , this cave was at its brightest . As the sun drew to its setting , near the middle of the Nordland summer night , it levelled its golden rays through the cleft , and made the place far more brilliant than at noon . The projections of the rough rock caught the beam , during the few minutes that it stayed , and shone with a bright orange tint . The beach suddenly appeared of a more dazzling white , and the waters of a deeper green , while , by their motion , they cast quivering circles of reflected light upon the roof , which had before been invisible . Rolf took this brief opportunity to survey his abode carefully .