midnight
The burning scarlet and violet hues had all melted into a transparent yet brilliant shade of pale mauve , -- as delicate as the inner tint of a lilac blossom , -- and across this stretched two wing-shaped gossamer clouds of watery green , fringed with soft primrose . Between these cloud-wings , as opaline in lustre as those of a dragon-fly , the face of the sun shone like a shield of polished gold , while his rays , piercing spear-like through the varied tints of emerald , brought an unearthly radiance over the landscape -- a lustre as though the moon were , in some strange way , battling with the sun for mastery over the visible universe though , looking southward , she could dimly be perceived , the ghost of herself -- a poor , fainting , pallid goddess , -- a perishing Diana . Bringing his glance down from the skies , the young man turned it to the face of the maiden near him , and was startled at her marvellous beauty -- beauty now heightened by the effect of the changeful colors that played around her . The very boat in which she sat glittered with a bronze-like , metallic brightness as it heaved gently to and fro on the silvery green water ; the midnight sunshine bathed the falling glory of her long hair , till each thick tress , each clustering curl , appeared to emit an amber spark of light . The strange , weird effect of the sky seemed to have stolen into her eyes , making them shine with witch-like brilliancy , -- the varied radiance flashing about her brought into strong relief the pureness of her profile , drawing as with a fine pencil the outlines of her noble forehead , sweet mouth , and rounded chin . It touched the scarlet of her bodice , and brightened the quaint old silver clasps she wore at her waist and throat , till she seemed no longer an earthly being , but more like some fair wondering sprite from the legendary Norse kingdom of _ Alfheim _ , the `` abode of the Luminous Genii . '' She was gazing upwards , -- heavenwards , -- and her expression was one of rapt and almost devotional intensity .