midnight
And Zephoranim 's haughty spirit too had fled , -- fled , stained with guilt and most unroyal dishonor , all for the sake of one woman 's fairness -- the fairness of body only -- the brilliant mask of flesh that too often hides the hideousness of a devil 's nature ! For one moment Theos remained stupefied by the sheer horror of the catastrophe , -- then , recalling his bewildered wits to his aid , he peered anxiously through the archway where he rested , . . there seemed to be a dim red glow at the end of the downward-leading steps , as well as a dusky azure tint , like a patch of midnight sky . The Temple was now nothing but a hissing shrieking pyramid of flames , -- the hot and blinding glare was almost too intense for his eyes to endure , -- yet so fascinated was he by the sublime terror and grandeur of the spectacle , that he could scarcely make up his mind to turn away from it ! The thought of Sah-luma , however , gave the needful spur to his flagging energies , and without pausing to consider where he might be going , he slowly and hesitatingly descended the steps before him , and presently reached a sort of small open court paved with black marble . Here he tenderly laid his burden down , -- a burden grown weightier with each moment of its bearing , -- and letting his aching arms drop listlessly at his sides , he looked up dreamily , -- not all at once comprehending the cause of the vast lurid light that crimsoned the air like a wide aurora borealis everywhere about him , .