midnight
Then she remembered that on stepping in by the casement and closing it , she had not fastened the window-shutter , so that a streak of light from the interior of the room might have revealed her vigil to an observer on the lawn . How all things conspired against her keeping faith with Grace ! The tapping recommenced , light as from the bill of a little bird ; her illegitimate hope overcame her vow ; she went and pulled back the shutter , determining , however , to shake her head at him and keep the casement securely closed . What she saw outside might have struck terror into a heart stouter than a helpless woman 's at midnight . In the centre of the lowest pane of the window , close to the glass , was a human face , which she barely recognized as the face of Fitzpiers . It was surrounded with the darkness of the night without , corpse-like in its pallor , and covered with blood . As disclosed in the square area of the pane it met her frightened eyes like a replica of the Sudarium of St. Veronica .