midnight
The roar of the sea sounded awfully loud as it rose in sullen majesty , the flags of the stone terrace rang under her feet . Panting , breathless , cold as death , she leaned against the iron railing , her hands pressed hard over her tumultuous heart . It was light here . A fitful midnight moon , pale and feeble , was breaking through a rift in the clouds , and shedding its sickly glimmer over the black earth and raging sea . To her eyes , accustomed to the dense darkness , every object was plainly visible . She strained her gaze over the waves to catch the coming boat she knew was to bear those she had come to meet ; she listened breathlessly to every sound . But for a weary while she listened , and watched , and waited in vain .