midnight
Q. Eliz . -- Shall I forget myself to be myself ? -- SHAKSPEARE . It wanted one hour to midnight , as Crauford walked slowly to the lonely and humble street where he had appointed his meeting with Glendower . It was a stormy and fearful night . The day had been uncommonly sultry , and , as it died away , thick masses of cloud came labouring along the air , which lay heavy and breathless , as if under a spell , -- as if in those dense and haggard vapours the rider of the storm sat , like an incubus , upon the atmosphere beneath , and paralyzed the motion and wholesomeness of the sleeping winds . And about the hour of twilight , or rather when twilight should have been , instead of its quiet star , from one obscure corner of the heavens flashed a solitary gleam of lightning , lingered a moment , -- `` And ere a man had power to say , Behold !