noon
The nurse turned from the bed , however , attracted by the half-open door of the cupboard . Here were the medicine bottles . She took them out one by one , looked at them with professional curiosity , pulled out the corks , smelt the contents , replaced the bottles . Then she went to the window , which stood open ; she stepped out upon the stone steps which led into the garden , looking about her , to breathe the soft air of noon among the flowers . She came back , and it again seemed as if she would examine the bed , but her attention was attracted by a small book-case . She began to pull down the books one after the other and to turn them over , as a half-educated person does , in the hope of finding something amusing . She found a book with pictures .