half past
twelve
Her eyes laughed and twinkled at me . I remember thinking how young she looked , and how unready for suffering . I remember that she brought the baby in after a while , and that Tip came all muddy from the garden , dragging his tiny hoe over the carpet ; that the window was open , and that , while we all sat there together , a little brown bird brought some twine and built a nest on an apple-bough just in sight . I find it difficult to explain the anxiety which I felt , as the , morning wore on , that dinner should be punctually upon the table at half past twelve . But I now understand perfectly , as I did not once , the old philosophy : `` Let us eat and drink , for to-morrow we die . '' It was ironing-day , and our dinners were apt to be late upon ironing-days . I concluded that , if the soup were punctual , and not too hot , I could leave myself ten or perhaps fifteen unoccupied minutes before one o'clock .