midnight
if I could only contrive one which would frighten my reader as I myself had been frightened that night ! Swift as light and as cheering was the idea that broke in upon me . `` I have found it ! What terrified me will terrify others ; and I need only describe the spectre which had haunted my midnight pillow . '' On the morrow I announced that I had _ thought of a story _ . I began that day with the words , _ It was on a dreary night of November _ , making only a transcript of the grim terrors of my waking dream . At first I thought but of a few pages -- of a short tale ; but Shelley urged me to develope the idea at greater length .