midday
Tennis and skittle matches would be quickly organised to the great discomfort of quiet loto players who lounged on the ground before their cardboard squares , which some bowl or ball would suddenly smother with sand . But when the bell sounded the noise ceased , a flight of sparrows rose from the plane-trees , and the breathless students betook themselves to their lesson in plain-chant with folded arms and hanging heads . And thus Serge 's day closed in peacefulness ; he returned to his work ; then , at four o'clock , he partook of his afternoon snack , and renewed his everlasting walk in sight of St. Mark 's spire . Supper was marked by the same rattling of jaws and the same droning perusal as the midday meal . And when it was over Serge repaired to the chapel to attend prayers , and finally betook himself to bed at a quarter past eight , after first sprinkling his pallet with holy water to ward off all evil dreams . How many delightful days like these had he not spent in that ancient convent of old Plassans , where abode the aroma of centuries of piety ! For five years had the days followed one another , flowing on with the unvarying murmur of limpid water .