midnight
At first he was too much overcome by his feelings to speak . For a long time the two young men remained silent , gazing into the dark blue depths of the night The Milky Way ran , like the ring of eternity , around the immensity of space ; below it glided the sharp sickle of the moon , cutting across the brief days and the brief joys of men . But clear among the stars shone the Twins , those ever-burning , intertwined symbols of friendship ; westward they rose , and on the right of them blazed the heart of the Lion . The two friends had studied astronomy together , and when Victor pointed out the happy sign in the midnight sky , Flamin began to tell him his troubles . He , a poor clergyman 's son , had fallen wildly in love with Clotilda , the beautiful daughter of Prince January , of Flachsenfingen . She was living at the country seat of the Lord Chamberlain Le Baut , at St. Luna ; so poor Flamin was able to see her every day . Knowing that he could neither forget her nor win her , he was tortured by a strange , hopeless jealousy , and he now confessed that , instead of looking forward with joy to Victor 's return to his home , he had been consumed with fear lest his brilliant , noble , handsome friend should utterly eclipse him in the sight of his beloved lady .