4 a.m.
And when Mrs. Tams said that the invalid had slept , and was sleeping , stertorously in an unaccountable manner , and hinted that the doctor was not undisturbed by the new symptom and meant to call again later on , Rachel 's tight-lipped mien indicated that this might not have occurred if only Mrs. Tams had fulfilled her obvious duty of wakening Rachel . Though she was hungry , she scornfully repulsed the suggestion of breakfast . Mrs. Tams , thoroughly accustomed to such behaviour in the mighty , accepted it as she accepted the weather . But if she had had to live through the night again -- after all , a quite tolerable night -- she would still not have wakened Rachel at 4 a.m. Rachel softened as the day passed . She ate a good dinner at one o'clock , with Mrs. Tams in the kitchen , one or the other mounting at short intervals to see if Mrs. Maldon had stirred . Then she changed into her second-best frock , in anticipation of the doctor 's Sunday afternoon visit , strictly commanded Mrs. Tams -LRB- but with relenting kindness in her voice -RRB- to go and lie down , and established herself neatly in the sick-room . Though her breathing had become noiseless again , Mrs. Maldon still slept .