And there he stood, with his bare feet on the stones of the paved yard.
It was a clear night overhead, and the stars were shining.

Orion in particular was making the most of his bright belt and golden sword.
But the moon was only a poor thin crescent.

There was just one great, jagged, black and gray cloud in the sky, with a steep side to it like a precipice; and the moon was against this side, and looked as if she had tumbled off the top of the cloud-hill, and broken herself in rolling down the precipice.

She did not seem comfortable, for she was looking down into the deep pit waiting for her.

At least that was what Diamond thought as he stood for a moment staring at her.