midnight
When could it be that he had come to an understanding with the inexperienced and easily wooed maiden ? How ready she must have been to clasp the hand held out to her by this man ! Nothing surprised her in Irene , the child of the present ; she could comprehend too that Irene 's charm might quickly win the heart even of a grave and serious man . And yet -- in all the processions it was never Irene that he had gazed at , but always herself , and how came it to pass that he had given a prompt and ready assent to the false invitation to go out to meet her in the desert at midnight ? Perhaps she was still nearer to his heart than Irene , and if gratitude drew him to her with fresh force then -- aye then -- he might perhaps woo her , and forget his pride and her lowly position , and ask her to be his wife . She thought this out fully , but before she had reached the half circle enclosed by the Philosophers ' busts the question occurred to her mind . And Irene ?