about noon
The husband and wife took up their positions in the shop after this , as far apart as was possible from each other , both resenting in silent fury the wrong which the world in general had done them . If Mrs Elsworthy had dared , she would have exhausted her passion in abuse of everybody -- of the Curate for not being guilty , of her husband for supposing him to be so , and , to be sure , of Rosa herself , who was the cause of all . But Elsworthy was dangerous , not to be approached or spoken to . He went out about noon to see John Brown , and discuss with him the question of damages ; but the occurrences which took place in his absence are not to be mixed up with the present narrative , which concerns Mr Frank Wentworth 's visit to Lucy Wodehouse , and has nothing to do with ignoble hates or loves . The Curate went rapidly on to the green door , which once more looked like a gate of paradise . He did not know in the least what he was going to do or say -- he was only conscious of a state of exaltation , a condition of mind which might precede great happiness or great misery , but had nothing in it of the common state of affairs in which people ask each other `` How do you do ? '' Notwithstanding , the fact is , that when Lucy entered that dear familiar drawing-room , where every feature and individual expression of every piece of furniture was as well known to him as if they had been so many human faces , it was only `` How do you do ? ''