midday
It grew more tremendous in the silence as Eliza La Heu brought me my orders . Miss Rieppe did not seat herself to take the light refreshment which she found enough for lunch . Her plate and cup were set for her , but she walked about , now with one , and now with the other , taking her time over it , and pausing here and there at some article of the Exchange stock . Of course , she had n't come there for any lunch ; the Cornerlys had midday lunch and dined late ; these innovated hours were a part of Kings Port 's deep suspicion of the Cornerlys ; but what now became interesting was her evident indifference to our perceiving that lunch was merely a pretext with her ; in fact , I think she wished it to be perceived , and I also think that those turns which she took about the Exchange -- her apparent inspection of an old mahogany table , her examination of a pewter set -- were a symbol -LRB- and meant to be a symbol -RRB- of how she had all the time there was , and the possession of everything she wished including the situation , and that she enjoyed having this sink in while she was rearranging whatever she had arranged to say , in consequence of finding that I should also hear it . And how well she was worth looking at , no matter whether she stood , or moved , or what she did ! Her age lay beyond the reach of the human eye ; if she was twenty-five , she was marvelous in her mastery of her appearance ; if she was thirty-four , she was marvelous in her mastery of perpetuating it , and by no other means than perfect dress personal to herself -LRB- for she had taken the fashion and welded it into her own plasticity -RRB- and perfect health ; for without a trace of the athletic , her graceful shape teemed with elasticity . There was a touch of `` sport '' in the parasol she had laid down ; and with all her blended serenity there was a touch of `` sport '' in her .