noon
This year December and January were especially severe , and after New Year 's the snow lay three weeks in the street without melting . There was plenty of work for Gervaise , and her shop was delightfully warm and singularly quiet , for the carriages made no noise in the snow-covered streets . The laughs and shouts of the children were almost the only sounds ; they had made a long slide and enjoyed themselves hugely . Gervaise took especial pleasure in her coffee at noon . Her apprentices had no reason to complain , for it was hot and strong and unadulterated by chicory . On the morning of Twelfth-day the clock had struck twelve and then half past , and the coffee was not ready . Gervaise was ironing some muslin curtains .