noon
Then , with gaiety of heart , we fared on , at our leisure . When the forests were left behind , we had before us green fields , sweet streams , mills and homesteads , and a pleasant highroad . We marched slowly on Francezka 's account . Toward noon we passed a cottage , before which a peasant was feeding a stout cart-horse . At the cottage door stood a pleasant-faced woman , with a little army of bright-eyed children around her . By an inspiration it came to me to offer the peasant a gold piece for the use of his horse for Mademoiselle Capello , as far as Uzmaiz . He gaped with delight at the sight of the money .