noon
Having accomplished his object , he escaped , leaving his friend to enter into a discussion with the princess , on the relative merits of poets and their inspirations . The prince once more approached the duchess 's little circle , where he was sure to find Frau von Wallmoden , and where he was far from the sound of his malicious aunt 's voice . The breakfast was ended , and the day 's sport was about to begin in earnest . But since noon the bright , sunny weather had changed ; the heavens were overcast , and there was a fear that one of the sudden , heavy storms which were frequent at this season , might come before the day was over . The duchess , with some of her friends , had taken their stand upon a height , from which they thought they could obtain the best view , but the hunters took a sudden turn , and the lookers on were forced to follow . It was at this juncture that a slight accident occurred to Frau von Wallmoden ; her saddle girth broke , and she would have had a disagreeable fall had she not had the presence of mind to slip at once from her saddle to the ground . To follow the riders was now an impossibility , for her groom could not have obtained another saddle for her , so she decided to send the servant over to Bucheneck with the horse , and follow on foot , at her leisure .