noon
Cornelius was half his breakfast ahead of the rest , for he had daily to endure the hardship of being at the bank by nine o'clock , and made the best of it by claiming in consequence an utter immunity from the _ petite norale _ of the breakfast-table . Never did he lose a moment in helping anybody . Even the little Saffy he allowed with perfect frigidity to stretch out a very long arm after the butter -- except indeed it happened to cross his plate , when he would sharply rebuke her breach of manners . It would have been all the same if he had not been going till noon , but now he had hurry and business to rampart his laziness and selfishness withal . Mark would sooner have gone without salt to his egg than ask Corney to pass it . This morning the pale boy sat staring at the crocuses -- things like them peeping out of the spring-mould of his spirit to greet them . `` Why do n't you eat your breakfast , Mark , dear ? ''