midday
Silence was the law of the presence-chamber when she labored with her recipes , of which she had many , looking like spider tracks on very yellow paper . These she kept locked up with many of the ingredients for creating them . She pored over them with unspectacled eyes whenever she mixed a cunning dish ; and even Angélique dared not meddle with them , though they were to be part of the girl 's inheritance . Angélique now played on the harp to soothe tante-gra ` mère 's digestion after her midday dinner , while outdoors all Kaskaskia buzzed with excitement . It was a field day in territorial politics . All the girls were at Peggy Morrison 's house , watching the processions march by , and making bouquets to send up to the speakers , of whom Rice Jones was chief . Tante-gra ` mère had her heavy green shutters closed , to keep out disturbing sights and the noise of fife and drum .