noon
Meanwhile Flemming sat in his chamber and read . It was a large room in the front of the house , looking upon the village and the lake . The windows were latticed , with small panes , and the window-sills filled with fragrant flowers . At length the heat of the noon was over . Day , like a weary pilgrim , had reached the westerngate of Heaven , and Evening stooped down to unloose the latchets of his sandal-shoon . Flemming and Berkley sallied forth to ramble by the borders of the lake . Down the cool , green glades and alleys , beneath the illuminated leaves of the forest , over the rising grounds , in the glimmering fretwork of sunshine and leaf-shadow , -- an exhilarating walk !