The moon waxed high in her career. Midnight was gathering slowly over
the earth; the beautiful, the mystic hour, blent with a thousand
memories, hallowed by a thousand dreams, made tender to remembrance by
the vows our youth breathed beneath its star, and solemn by the olden
legends which are linked to its majesty and peace--the hour in which, men
should die; the isthmus between two worlds; the climax of the past day;
the verge of that which is to come; wrapping us in sleep after a weary
travail, and promising us a morrow which, since the first birth of
Creation has never failed. As the minutes glided on, Falkland felt
himself grow gradually weaker and weaker. The pain of his wound had
ceased, but a deadly sickness gathered over his heart: the room reeled
before his eyes, and the damp chill mounted from his feet up--up to the
breast in which the life-blood waxed dull and thick.

As the hand of the clock pointed to the half-hour after midnight the
attendants who waited in the adjoining room heard a faint cry. They
rushed hastily into Falkland's chamber; they found him stretched half out
of the bed. His hand was raised towards the opposite wall; it dropped
gradually as they approached him; and his brow, which was at first stern
and bent, softened, shade by shade, into his usual serenity. But the dim
film gathered fast over his eye, and the last coldness upon his limbs.
He strove to raise himself as if to speak; the effort failed, and he fell
motionless on his face. They stood by the bed for some moments in
silence: at length they raised him. Placed against his heart was an open
locket of dark hair, which one hand still pressed convulsively. They
looked upon his countenance--(a single glance was sufficient)--it was
hushed--proud--passionless--the seal of Death was upon it.