midnight
Glycera had been a melancholy sweetheart , who had wept much , and laughed little after running away from her husband ; he fancied he could hear her speaking soft words of reproach , while Sirona defied him with loud threats , and dared to nod and signal to the senator 's son Polykarp . The weary dreamer angrily shook himself , collected his thoughts , doubled his fist , and lifted it angrily ; this movement was the first sign of returning physical energy ; he stretched his limbs like a man awaking from sleep , rubbed his eyes , pressed his hands to his temples ; by degrees full consciousness returned to him , and with it the recollection of all that had occurred in the last hour or two . He hastily left the dark room , refreshed himself in the kitchen with a gulp of wine , and went up to the open window to gaze at the stars . It was long past midnight ; he was reminded of his companions now sacrificing on the mountain , and addressed a long prayer `` to the crown , '' `` the invincible sun-god , '' `` the great light , '' `` the god begotten of the rock , '' and to many other names of Mithras ; for since he had belonged to the mystics of this divinity , he had become a zealous devotee , and could fast too with extraordinary constancy . He had already passed through several of the eighty trials , to which a man had to subject himself before he could attain to the highest grades of the initiated , and the weakness which had just now overpowered him , had attacked him for the first time , after he had for a whole week lain for hours in the snow , besides fasting severely , in order to attain the grade of `` lion . '' Sirona 's rigorous mind was revolted by all these practices , and the decision with which she had always refused to take any part in them , had widened the breach which , without that , parted her from her husband . Phoebicius was , in his fashion , very much in earnest with all these things ; for they alone saved him in some measure from himself , from dark memories , and from the fear of meeting the reward of his evil deeds in a future life , while Sirona found her best comfort in the remembrance of her early life , and so gathered courage to endure the miserable present cheerfully , and to hold fast to hope for better times .