noon
`` No , no , '' she persisted . `` Unbar the shutters and we shall have air enough . I love a deserted house : I have always fancied that if one came in noiselessly enough one might catch the ghosts of the people who used to live in it . '' He obeyed in silence , and the green-filtered forest noon filled the room with a quiver of light . A chill stole upon Odo as he looked at the dust-shrouded furniture , the painted harpsichord with green mould creeping over its keyboard , the consoles set with empty wine flagons and goblets of Venice glass . The place was like the abandoned corpse of pleasure . But Maria Clementina laughed and clapped her hands .