noon
Much as Mr. Hazard had to do , and few men in New York were busier , he never forgot to look in for a moment on the artists , and Esther could not help noticing that this moment tended to lengthen . He had a way of joining Wharton and Catherine on their tour of inspection , and then bringing Catherine back to Esther 's work-place , and sitting down for an instant to rest and look at the St. Cecilia . Time passed rapidly , and once or twice it had come over Esther 's mind that , for a very busy man , Mr. Hazard seemed to waste a great deal of time . It grew to be a regular habit that between noon and one o'clock , Esther and Catherine entertained the clergyman of the parish . The strain of standing in a pulpit is great . No human being ever yet constructed was strong enough to offer himself long as a light to humanity without showing the effect on his constitution . Buddhist saints stand for years silent , on one leg , or with arms raised above their heads , but the limbs shrivel , and the mind shrivels with the limbs .