noon
This address , delivered with entire simplicity , set the whole company gasping . Most of all it seemed to astonish the woman , who could not be expected to know that my uncle 's chivalry accepted all her sex , the lowest with the highest , in the image in which God made it and without defacement . The priest was the first to recover himself . `` My good sir , '' said he , `` your man may be the father of twelve or the father of lies ; but I 'll not marry him after stroke of noon , for that 's my rule . Moreover '' -- he swept a hand towards the bridal party behind him -- `` these turtles have invited me to eat roast duck and green peas with 'em , and I hate my gravy cold . '' `` Ay , sir ? '' asked my uncle .