midnight
Now that I must give up my hope -- which was perhaps a rather foolish one -- and now that I can not remain at Stornham , she would have no defence at all if she were left alone . Her condition would be more hopeless than before , because Nigel would never forget that we had tried to rescue her and had failed . If I were a man , or if I were very much older , I need not be actually driven away , but as it is I think that you must come and take the matter into your own hands . '' She had remained in her sister 's room until long after midnight , and by the time the American letter was completed and sealed , a pale touch of dawning light was showing itself . She rose , and going to the window drew the blind up and looked out . The looking out made her open the window , and when she had done so she stood feeling the almost unearthly freshness of the morning about her . The mystery of the first faint light was almost unearthly , too .