midnight
The cry that `` shivered to the tingling stars '' was unheard by her . `` O Father , Father , '' said the cry . `` Why did you die and leave your poor little Phoebe , whom nobody loves , whose love nobody wants , with whom nobody here has one feeling in common ? '' And then all at once came as it were a vision before her eyes , of a scene whereof she had heard very frequently from her father , -- a midnight meeting of the Desert Church , in a hollow of the Cevennes mountains , guarded by sentinels posted on the summit , -- a meeting which to attend was to brave the gallows or the galleys , -- and Phoebe fancied she could hear the words of the opening hymn , as the familiar tune floated past her : -- `` Mon sort n'est pas a plaindre , Il est a desirer ; Je n'ai plus rien a craindre , Car Dieu est mon Berger . '' It was a quiet , peaceful face which was turned back to Rhoda . `` Did you hear ? '' rather sharply demanded that young lady .