midnight
I think it was in this alcove that I saw the inkstand which Luther threw at the Devil , and the ring which Essex , while under sentence of death , sent to Queen Elizabeth . And here was the blood-incrusted pen of steel with which Faust signed away his salvation . The virtuoso now opened the door of a closet and showed me a lamp burning , while three others stood unlighted by its side . One of the three was the lamp of Diogenes , another that of Guy Fawkes , and the third that which Hero set forth to the midnight breeze in the high tower of Ahydos . `` See ! '' said the virtuoso , blowing with all his force at the lighted lamp . The flame quivered and shrank away from his breath , but clung to the wick , and resumed its brilliancy as soon as the blast was exhausted .