midnight
In these paintings , which depended from the walls not only in their main surfaces , but in very many nooks which the bizarre architecture of the chateau rendered necessary -- in these paintings my incipient delirium , perhaps , had caused me to take deep interest ; so that I bade Pedro to close the heavy shutters of the room -- since it was already night -- to light the tongues of a tall candelabrum which stood by the head of my bed -- and to throw open far and wide the fringed curtains of black velvet which enveloped the bed itself . I wished all this done that I might resign myself , if not to sleep , at least alternately to the contemplation of these pictures , and the perusal of a small volume which had been found upon the pillow , and which purported to criticise and describe them . Long -- long I read -- and devoutly , devotedly I gazed . Rapidly and gloriously the hours flew by and the deep midnight came . The position of the candelabrum displeased me , and outreaching my hand with difficulty , rather than disturb my slumbering valet , I placed it so as to throw its rays more fully upon the book . But the action produced an effect altogether unanticipated . The rays of the numerous candles -LRB- for there were many -RRB- now fell within a niche of the room which had hitherto been thrown into deep shade by one of the bed-posts .