midnight
He could imagine that a statue for which she had stood as model might look like this , though the features seemed to his eye more regular than those of the girl . As he gazed , the music , which had been rich and colourful , fell into softer notes ; and the rose-sunset faded to an opal twilight , purple to blue , blue to the silver of moonlight , the music changing as the light changed , until at last it was low and slumberous as the drip-drip of a plashing fountain . Then , into the dream of the music broke a sound like the distant striking of a clock . It was midnight , and all the statues in the sculptor 's bare , white studio began to wake at the magic stroke which granted them a few hours of life . There was just a shimmer of movement in the dim corners . Marble limbs stirred , marble face turned slowly to gaze at marble face ; yet , as if they could be only half awakened in the shadows where the life-giving draught of moonlight might not flow , there was but the faintest flicker of white forms and draperies . It was the just finished statue of the girl which felt the full thrill of moonshine and midnight .