about two hours after noon
In fact , it was not without reason that Paula gave herself up to a certain anxiety ; for , if she was not mistaken , Orion must necessarily present himself to hand over to her the remainder of her fortune ; and though even yesterday , on her way from the cemetery , she had said to herself that she must and would refuse to meet him , the excitement produced by Katharina 's story and her subsequent dream had confirmed her in her determination . Perpetua awaited Orion 's visit on the ground-floor , charged to announce him to Rufinus and not to her mistress . The old man had willingly undertaken to receive the money as her representative ; for Philippus had not concealed from her that he had acquainted him with the circumstances under which Paula had quitted the governor 's house , describing Orion as a man whom she had good reason for desiring to avoid . By about two hours after noon Paula 's restlessness had increased so much that now and then she wandered out of the sick-room , which looked over the garden , to watch the Nile-quay from the window of the anteroom ; for he might arrive by either way . She never thought of the security of her property ; but the question arose in her mind as to whether it were not actually a breach of duty to avoid the agitation it would cost her to meet her cousin face to face . On this point no one could advise her , not even Perpetua ; her own mother could hardly have understood all her feelings on such an occasion . She scarcely knew herself indeed ; for hitherto she had never failed , even in the most difficult cases , to know at once and without long reflection , what to do and to leave undone , what under special circumstances was right or wrong .