noon
Well , my son 's death was merciful compared to -- '' Again Darrell stopped , again hurried on . `` Enough ! all is forgiven in the grave ! I was then still in the noon of man 's life , free to form new ties . Another grief that I can not tell you ; it is not all conquered yet . And by that grief the last verdure of existence was so blighted that -- that -- in short , I had no heart for nuptial altars , for the social world . Years went by .