noon
Jenkins went away in sore perplexity , with clouded brow . But as soon as he had passed the door he resumed his smiling , cordial manner , being one of those men who wear a mask on the street . The mist , still visible in the neighborhood of the Seine , was reduced to a few floating shreds , which gave an air of vapory unsubstantiality to the houses on the quay , to the steam-boats of which only the paddle-wheels could be seen , and to the distant horizon , where the dome of the Invalides hovered like a gilded balloon , whose netting shed rays of light . The increasing warmth , the activity in the quarter indicated that noon was not far away and that it would soon be announced by the ringing of all the bells . Before calling upon the Nabob , however , Jenkins had another call to make . But it seemed to be a great nuisance to him . However , as he had promised !