midnight
And later , in the midst of great sorrow , she saw intended significance in the occurrence . `` It was an answer , '' she said , `` to remind me that there will always be that solace . Give me , oh God , '' she prayed , `` power to make of all my sorrow music for the world ! '' The day following her midnight protest she heard from Nora and old Cæsar that the guests at Ravenel had gone ; heard as well that `` old Miss and Marse Frank were goin ' shortly '' ; heard it with a stirring at her heart of physical pain to which she had grown used . On the evening of this day , a warm June evening , she expected him to come , and dressed as though there were an engagement between them to spend the evening together . In a thin white gown , low in the neck , with a kerchief of filmy lace knotted in front , sleeves that fell away at the elbow , with faint , pink roses at her breast , her black hair turned high in a curly knot , she stood in the old rose-garden when he came . He wore a light overcoat over his evening dress , and stood hatless by the boxwood arch looking across at her .