midnight
Patches of wild white cloud were scudding across the pallid purple sky beneath the stars , and there was a silver causeway across the purple sea . The purple was not unlike that of an amethyst . The cliffs sloped back to the town ; the boats and peaked roofs and church tower were seen by the sharp outline of their masses of light and shade . The street lamps were not lit in the town because of the moon , and only in two or three places there was the warm glow of a casement fringed with the rays of a midnight candle . To the left of the cliffs , close to the town , were the trees of the squire 's park and the roof of the Hall . Perhaps it was because the curate was looking at these things , as he walked among the graves , that he did not look at the monument towards which he was making way , until he came within half a dozen yards of it ; then he suddenly saw that there was another man leaning against it , half hid in the shadow . He stopped at once and stood looking .