noon
This year , more than ever , Maria yearned to attend the-mass after many weeks of remoteness from houses and from churches ; the favours she would fain demand seemed more likely to be granted were she able to prefer them before the altar , aided in heavenward flight by the wings of music . But toward the middle of December much snow fell , dry and fine as dust , and three days before Christmas the north-west wind arose and made an end of the roads . On the morrow of the storm Chapdelaine harnessed Charles Eugene to the heavy sleigh and departed with Tit ` Bé ; they took shovels to clear the way or lay out another route . The two men returned by noon , worn out , white with snow , asserting that there would be no breaking through for several days . The disappointment must be borne ; Maria sighed , but the idea came to her that there might be other means of attaining the divine goodwill . `` Is it true , mother , '' she asked as evening was falling , `` that if you repeat a thousand Aves on the day before Christmas you are always granted the thing you seek ? '' `` Quite true , '' her mother reverently answered .