midnight
But these occupations were over by the hour Lucretia left her apartment . From that time he never left her out of view ; and when encouraged to join her at his usual privileged times , whether in the gardens at sunset or in her evening niche in the drawing-room , he was sleek , silken , and caressing as Cupid , after plaguing the Nymphs , at the feet of Psyche . These two strange persons had indeed apparently that sort of sentimental familiarity which is sometimes seen between a fair boy and a girl much older than himself ; but the attraction that drew them together was an indefinable instinct of their similarity in many traits of their several characters , -- the whelp leopard sported fearlessly around the she-panther . Before Olivier 's midnight conference with his son , Gabriel had drawn close and closer to Lucretia , as an ally against his father ; for that father he cherished feelings which , beneath the most docile obedience , concealed horror and hate , and something of the ferocity of revenge . And if young Varney loved any one on earth except himself , it was Lucretia Clavering . She had administered to his ruling passions , which were for effect and display ; she had devised the dress which set off to the utmost his exterior , and gave it that picturesque and artistic appearance which he had sighed for in his study of the portraits of Titian and Vandyke . She supplied him -LRB- for in money she was generous -RRB- with enough to gratify and forestall every boyish caprice ; and this liberality now turned against her , for it had increased into a settled vice his natural taste for extravagance , and made all other considerations subordinate to that of feeding his cupidity .