noon
And when the earl died , her name was on his lips , and I came home again to find her disappeared . Oh , what sorrow for the old days ! Would that I had died in Rome with the princes -- '' `` Stop that wailing , '' interrupted Brian sternly , for the old man was lashing himself into a frenzy of grief . `` Put spurs to that horse of yours , Turlough , for we must reach Cathbarr 's tower by noon if possible in order to start the men off over the hills . It 'll be a long night 's march , and I 've no time to be idling here on the road . '' Upon which he dug in his spurs and urged his steed into a gallop , and in order to keep up , Turlough Wolf had to give over his laments and do likewise . Brian forced himself to bend all his energies toward carrying out his final desperate plan , but he silently vowed that the old woman who had so foully been cut down by the O'Donnells should not die unavenged .