noon
Not till the forenoon was half spent , did I catch up . He saluted me politely , and gave me his views of the weather , but was not otherwise talkative . We rode together pleasantly enough , but there was no more of that openness in him which would have made me feel safe in resuming the subject of Monsieur de Merri . As we approached noon and our destination , I asked him about the different families of consequence living thereabouts , and he mentioned several names and circumstances , but told me nothing from which I could infer the possibility of danger to any of their ladies . It was toward mid-day when we rode into the great square of Montoire , and found ourselves before the inn of the Three Kings . I turned to take leave of my travelling companion , thinking that as he belonged to this town he would go on to his own house . `` I 'm going to stop here for a glass of wine and to leave my horse awhile , '' he said , noticing my movement .