midnight
But my brain , tenacious of its reason , refused to lend itself to such imaginations -- and though I endeavoured to play the antic to myself , I knew that I , the offspring of man , during long years one among many -- now remained sole survivor of my species . The sun sank behind the western hills ; I had fasted since the preceding evening , but , though faint and weary , I loathed food , nor ceased , while yet a ray of light remained , to pace the lonely streets . Night came on , and sent every living creature but me to the bosom of its mate . It was my solace , to blunt my mental agony by personal hardship -- of the thousand beds around , I would not seek the luxury of one ; I lay down on the pavement , -- a cold marble step served me for a pillow -- midnight came ; and then , though not before , did my wearied lids shut out the sight of the twinkling stars , and their reflex on the pavement near . Thus I passed the second night of my desolation . I AWOKE in the morning , just as the higher windows of the lofty houses received the first beams of the rising sun . The birds were chirping , perched on the windows sills and deserted thresholds of the doors .