noon
A faint echo of his love came back to him . He repeated her name over and over again . The birds that were singing in the dew-drenched garden seemed to be telling the flowers about her . -LSB- ... 43 -RSB- It was long past noon when he awoke . His valet had crept several times into the room on tiptoe to see if he was stirring , and had wondered what made his young master sleep so late . Finally his bell sounded , and Victor came in softly with a cup of tea , and a pile of letters , on a small tray of old Sèvres china , and drew back the olive-satin curtains , with their shimmering blue lining , that hung in front of the three tall windows . `` Monsieur has well slept this morning , '' he said , smiling .