midnight before
Pshaw , she was nothing but a sickly , romantic , delirious child . And still -- he could not help shuddering in the semi-darkness of that lonely little room , near the woman he coveted -- and still his excited fancy at once gave shape to what Rosa 's dreamy babbling had stirred up within him . The child was enraptured with the dear Virgin who smiles at the innocent , but he adorned her with all the voluptuous charms which she -- his eyes glittered as they hung on the woman he coveted -- she possessed . It was midnight before Mrs. Tiralla and the schoolmaster returned to the sitting-room . The favoured child was sleeping soundly , there were no more marvellous utterances to listen to . The trance was now over , which had filled them all with such delight and during which Marianna had buried her face in her hands and groaned : `` How beautiful , how beautiful ! I do n't understand it ; but oh , how beautiful ! ''