midnight
For she was very lightly clad ; and -LRB- except in Egypt -RRB- Cats are terrible to undomesticated goddesses . Diana shivered as she strung her bow for defense . She felt that she was divine , but she knew that she had cold feet . In truth , the Library Steps were wet and glistening , for there had been a shower after midnight . But now the gibbous moon was giving a silent imitation of an arc-light high in the western heaven . Her beams silver-plated the weird architecture of the shrines of Commerce which face the great Temple dedicated to the Three Muses of New York -- Astor , Lenox , and Tilden . But on the awful animals guarding the steps the light was florid , like a flush of sunburn discovered by the ablution of a warranted complexion cream .