midnight
For a moment Anne , who had long outgrown Mrs. Hemans , was disposed to laugh , but as the sweet ecstatic voice trilled on a wave of sadness swept over her , a familiar scene of her childhood rose and effaced the one beneath . She saw the favourite room of her mother in the tower overhanging the sea , her brothers sprawled on the hearthrug , herself in her own little chair , her mother in her deep invalid sofa holding her youngest child in her arms , while she softly recited the `` Evening Prayer at a Girl 's School , '' `` The Coronation of Inez del Castro , '' `` Juana , '' or , to please the more robust taste of the boys , `` Bernardo del Carpio , '' and `` Casabianca , '' the last two in sweet inadequate tones . Lines , long forgotten swept back to Anne out of the past : The night wind shook the tapestry round an ancient palace room , And torches , as it rose and fell , waved through the gorgeous gloom . There was music on the midnight -- From a royal fane it rolled . The warrior bowed his crested head , and tamed his heart of fire , And sued the haughty king to free his long imprisoned sire . Mrs. Percy had been a gentle , sentimental , romantic creature with golden ringlets and floating sylph-like form , not unlike Lady Mary 's . She received little attention from her scientific husband and devoted her short life to her children and to poetry , writing graceful vacant verses herself .