midday
Left to himself , the king could worry his moustache without stint ; he leant his elbows forward on the balcony and gave both of his long white hands to the work , so that he looked like a pale dog gnawing a bone . Suppose they caught his men , what should he do ? Suppose they caught his men ? The clocks in the light gold-capped belfries of the town below presently intimated the half-hour after midday . Of course , he and Pestovitch had thought it out . Even if they had caught those men , they were pledged to secrecy ... . Probably they would be killed in the catching ... .