noon
All then was not lost , if a seaman , his own father , did not yet despair . And for a few days , she resumed looking out for him again . Autumn at last arrived , a late autumn too , its gloomy evenings making all things appear dark in the old cottage , and all the land looked sombre , too . The very daylight seemed crepuscular ; immeasurable clouds , passing slowly overhead , darkened the whole country at broad noon . The wind blew constantly with the sound of a great cathedral organ at a distance , but playing profane , despairing dirges ; at other times the noise came close to the door , like the howling of wild beasts . She had grown pale , aye , blanched , and bent more than ever , as if old age had already touched her with its featherless wing . Often did she finger the wedding clothes of her Yann , folding and unfolding them again and again like some maniac , especially one of his blue woolen jerseys , which still had preserved his shape ; when she threw it gently on the table , it fell with the shoulders and chest well defined ; so she placed it by itself on a shelf of their wardrobe , and left it there , so that it might for ever rest unaltered .