nearly noon
period . Beyond this , to the rear of the house which had been built out to the extreme end of the lot , was the splendidly appointed dining-room with its magnificent fireplace of sculptured white marble , surmounted by a striking portrait in oils by Carolus Duran of Mrs. Traynor -- a painting which had been one of the most successful pictures of the previous year 's salon . In a clinging , white silk negligée gown , the gossamer folds of which only partially veiled the outlines of a slender , graceful figure , Helen sat at the breakfast table opposite her husband , toying languidly with her knife and fork . It was nearly noon , long past the usual breakfast time , and by every known gastronomical law her appetite should have been on keen edge . But this morning she left everything untasted . Even the delicious wheat cakes , which none better than Mammy , their Southern cook , knew how to do to a point , did not tempt her . They had been out to dinner the night before .