But even then the rain continued to fall heavily, and the night, which had come on, was impenetrably black.

This lasted till near midnight.

Rowland thought of Mary Garland's challenge in the porch, but he thought even more that, although the fetid interior of a high-nestling chalet may offer a convenient refuge from an Alpine tempest, there was no possible music in the universe so sweet as the sound of Roderick's voice.

At midnight, through his dripping window-pane, he saw a star, and he immediately went downstairs and out into the gallery.

The rain had ceased, the cloud-masses were dissevered here and there, and several stars were visible.