noon
True , the spring sun shone on their books and exercises too , the spring called them into the open air , but even more powerful than its alluring voice seemed the influence exerted on their young minds by what they were now hearing . Forty sparkling eyes were turned towards the bearded man , who addressed them in his deep voice . Even wild Jan Mulder had dropped the knife with which he had begun to cut on his desk a well-executed figure of a ham , and was listening attentively . The noon bell now rang from the neighboring church , and soon after was heard from the tower of the town-hall , the little boys noisily left the room , but -- strange - = the patience of the older ones still held out ; they were surely hearing things that did not exactly belong to their lessons . The man who stood before them was no teacher in the school , but the city clerk , Van Hout , who , to-day filled the place of his sick friend , Verstroot , master of arts and preacher . During the ringing of the bells he had closed the book , and now said : ``` Suspendo lectionem . ' Jan Mulder , how would you translate my ` suspendere ' ? ''