midday
As the answer was given they both stopped by the bank of the stream , and again looked each other in the face . There was a minute of dead silence between them . During that minute , the water bubbling by happily over its bed of pebbles seemed strangely loud , the singing of birds in a little wood by the stream-side strangely near and shrill , in both their ears . The light breeze , for all its midday warmth , touched their cheeks coldly ; and the spring sunlight pouring on their faces felt as if it were glimmering on them through winter clouds . `` Let us walk on , '' said Trudaine , in a low voice . `` I was prepared for bad news , yet not for that . Are you certain of what you have just told me ? ''