midday
There was a pause . Then all those who had gone upstairs came down ; cripples came , planting both feet on the same step lest they should slip ; prim little girls came , holding the nurse 's finger ; fat old men came still buttoning waistcoats . The gong had been sounded in the garden , and by degrees recumbent figures rose and strolled in to eat , since the time had come for them to feed again . There were pools and bars of shade in the garden even at midday , where two or three visitors could lie working or talking at their ease . Owing to the heat of the day , luncheon was generally a silent meal , when people observed their neighbors and took stock of any new faces there might be , hazarding guesses as to who they were and what they did . Mrs. Paley , although well over seventy and crippled in the legs , enjoyed her food and the peculiarities of her fellow-beings . She was seated at a small table with Susan .