midnight
He scanned my face silently . To-morrow I will snare the red-bird down behind the pines long enough to impress on his memory a life-long suspicion of every such artifice , and then I will set him free again in his wide world of light . Above all things , I must see to it that he does not wound himself or have the least feather broken . It is far past midnight now , and I have not slept or wished for slumber . Constantly since darkness came on I have been watching Georgiana 's window for the light of her candle , but there has been no kindly glimmer yet . The only radiance shed upon the gloom outside comes from the heavens . Great cage-shaped white clouds are swung up to the firmament , and within these pale , gentle , imprisoned lightnings flutter feebly to escape , fall back , rise , and try again and again , and fail .