noon
right willingly , my son , '' she responded . `` Your path of duty may not be mine , but you see I respect your views and love you . '' They kissed one another , and when Pierre , whom the scene had chilled to his heart , presented himself as if he were just arriving , Mere-Grand had quietly taken up her needlework once more , while Guillaume was going to and fro , setting one of his laboratory shelves in order with all his wonted activity . At noon when lunch was ready , they found it necessary to wait for Thomas , who had not yet come home . His brothers Francois and Antoine complained in a jesting way , saying that they were dying of hunger , while for her part Marie , who had made a _ creme _ , and was very proud of it , declared that they would eat it all , and that those who came late would have to go without tasting it . When Thomas eventually put in an appearance he was greeted with jeers . `` But it was n't my fault , '' said he ; `` I stupidly came up the hill by way of the Rue de la Barre , and you can have no notion what a crowd I fell upon .