midnight
`` Hear it , however , '' said the Patriarch ; `` for though it is a tale of the olden time , and sometimes supposed to refer to the period when heathenism predominated , it is no less true , that it was a vow made and registered in the chancery of the rightful Deity , by an Emperor of Greece . '' `` What I am now to relate to you , '' continued he , `` is , in truth , a tale not only of a Christian Emperor , but of him who made the whole empire Christian ; and of that very Constantine , who was also the first who declared Constantinople to be the metropolis of the empire . This hero , remarkable alike for his zeal for religion and for his warlike achievements , was crowned by Heaven with repeated victory , and with all manner of blessings , save that unity in his family which wise men are most ambitious to possess . Not only was the blessing of concord among brethren denied to the family of this triumphant Emperor , but a deserving son of mature age , who had been supposed to aspire to share the throne with his father , was suddenly , and at midnight , called upon to enter his defence against a capital charge of treason . You will readily excuse my referring to the arts by which the son was rendered guilty in the eyes of the father . Be it enough to say , that the unfortunate young man fell a victim to the guilt of his step-mother , Fausta , and that he disdained to exculpate himself from a charge so gross and so erroneous . It is said , that the anger of the Emperor was kept up against his son by the sycophants who called upon Constantine to observe that the culprit disdained even to supplicate for mercy , or vindicate his innocence from so foul a charge .