Noon
Costobarus pressed Philip 's hand . `` Farewell , '' he said ; and Philip embraced him and went forth . Costobarus turned to one of his closed windows and thrust it open , for the influence of the spring sun had made itself felt in the past important hour for Costobarus . Noon stood beautiful and golden over the city . The sky was clean-washed and blue , and the surface of the Mediterranean , glimpsed over white house-tops that dropped away toward the sea-front , was a wandering sheet of flashing silver . Here and there were the ruins of the last year 's warfare , but over the fallen walls of gray earth the charity of running vines and the new growth of the spring spread a beauty , both tender and compassionate . In such open spaces inner gardens were exposed and almond trees tossed their crowns of white bloom over pleached arbors of old grape-vines .