midday
She had once visited a spinster -- poor , silly , and unattractive -- whose mania it was that every man who approached her fell in love . How Margaret 's heart had bled for the deluded thing ! How she had lectured , reasoned , and in despair acquiesced ! `` I may have been deceived by the curate , my dear , but the young fellow who brings the midday post really is fond of me , and has , as a matter of fact -- '' It had always seemed to her the most hideous corner of old age , yet she might be driven into it herself by the mere pressure of virginity . Mr. Wilcox met her at Waterloo himself . She felt certain that he was not the same as usual ; for one thing , he took offence at everything she said . `` This is awfully kind of you , '' she began , `` but I 'm afraid it 's not going to do .