morning, noon
Therein , necessarily , many blank epochs occur . These I shall not try to fill up , but merely resume the thread of narration as recollection serves . Thus , after this first day , many days came and went before I again saw John Halifax -- almost before I again thought of him . For it was one of my seasons of excessive pain ; when I found it difficult to think of anything beyond those four grey-painted walls ; where morning , noon , and night slipped wearily away , marked by no changes , save from daylight to candle-light , from candle-light to dawn . Afterwards , as my pain abated , I began to be haunted by occasional memories of something pleasant that had crossed my dreary life ; visions of a brave , bright young face , ready alike to battle with and enjoy the world . I could hear the voice that , speaking to me , was always tender with pity -- yet not pity enough to wound : I could see the peculiar smile just creeping round his grave mouth -- that irrepressible smile , indicating the atmosphere of thorough heart-cheerfulness , which ripens all the fruits of a noble nature , and without which the very noblest has about it something unwholesome , blank , and cold . I wondered if John had ever asked for me .