noon
At about noon on that day Aby was sitting by his father 's bedside . Up to that time it had been quite impossible to induce him to speak a word . He could only groan , swallow soda-water with `` hairs of the dog that bit him '' in it , and lay with his head between his arms . But soon after noon Aby did induce him to say a word or two . The door of the room was closely shut , the little table was strewed with soda-water bottles and last drops of small goes of brandy . Aby himself had a cigar in his mouth , and on the floor near the bed-foot was a plate with a cold , greasy mutton chop , Aby having endeavoured in vain to induce his father to fortify exhausted nature by eating . The appearance of the room and the air within it would not have been pleasant to fastidious people .