noon
Nothing , at any rate , should prevent that . It might be but for a short time ; -- but it should be written in the history of his life that he had sat in the British House of Commons as member for Westminster . At the present moment he was careful to show himself everywhere . It was now noon , and he had already been into the City . At this moment he was talking to the contractor for the work , -- having just propitiated that man by a payment which would hardly have been made so soon but for the necessity which these wretched stories had entailed upon him of keeping up his credit for the possession of money . Hetta timidly asked one of the workmen whether Miss Melmotte was there . `` Do you want my daughter ? ''