eight o'clock in
the morning
Mr. Smith said no more . He saw that to do so would only be to provoke instead of quieting his wife 's ill-humour . The morning meal went by in silence , but little food passing the lips of either . How could it , when the thermometer was ninety-four at eight o'clock in the morning , and the leaves upon the trees were as motionless as if suspended in a vacuum ? Bodies and minds were relaxed -- and the one turned from food , as the other did from thought , with an instinctive aversion . After Mr. Smith had left his home for his place of business , Mrs. Smith went up into her chamber , and threw herself upon the bed , her head still continuing to ache with great violence . It so happened that a week before , the chambermaid had gone away , sick , and all the duties of the household had in consequence devolved upon Rachael , herself not very well .