midday
The shadow of death was closing round him , and he was nearly mad with fear . `` The old steward saw a strange sort of smile twist his master 's white , quivering lips when he heard this , but he never said a word . I imagine he thought to reveal his purpose now that it was crushed too great a sacrifice even to clear the dead girl 's fair fame ; perhaps , though , he could not trust his voice , for he did not announce the sentence in words , but wrote it down : his hand shook very much , and it never carried a full glass unspilled to his mouth again . `` The court broke up at midday , and the man went straight , unconfessed , to the place of his punishment . They tied him to the tree nearest his own door , and the count sat by while he howled his life out under the lash . He was hardly dead by sundown . '' `` It was revenge , not justice , '' Mrs. Bellasys said , more firmly than was her wont .