noon
Stockdale now began to notice more particularly a feature in the life of his fair landlady , which he had casually observed but scarcely ever thought of before . It was that she was markedly irregular in her hours of rising . For a week or two she would be tolerably punctual , reaching the ground-floor within a few minutes of half-past seven . Then suddenly she would not be visible till twelve at noon , perhaps for three or four days in succession ; and twice he had certain proof that she did not leave her room till half-past three in the afternoon . The second time that this extreme lateness came under his notice was on a day when he had particularly wished to consult with her about his future movements ; and he concluded , as he always had done , that she had a cold , headache , or other ailment , unless she had kept herself invisible to avoid meeting and talking to him , which he could hardly believe . The former supposition was disproved , however , by her innocently saying , some days later , when they were speaking on a question of health , that she had never had a moment 's heaviness , headache , or illness of any kind since the previous January twelvemonth . ` I am glad to hear it , ' said he .