midnight
Who was he , what had he done , that Heaven should be so good to him , giving him the fairest , truest , sweetest girl in the world for his adored and loving bride ? He lifted his dark , dreamy eyes to the moonlit heavens and prayed reverentially : `` God make me worthy of the prize I have won ! '' From the next room he could hear the low murmur of voices , as Dainty conversed with her mother in happy tones ; but by and by all grew silent , as the fair girl sank to sleep , nestling against her mother 's heart for the last time , for to-morrow would give her to her husband 's arms . Love heard the clock in the tower chime the midnight hour , and retired to dream of the happiness that would be his to-morrow . And never came fairer dreams of the future to any lover 's heart , as surely no lover 's heart had ever been so bound up in its beauteous idol . `` Love thee ? So well , so tenderly Thou ` rt loved , adored by me , Fame , fortune , wealth , and liberty Were worthless without thee .