noon
Preparations vast were made at once for the general 's reception ; from attic to kitchen was sounded the tocsin of his coming . Julian was all bustle and excitement , to his mother 's joy and pride ; while Charles merited her wrath by too much of his habitual and paternal quietude , particularly when he withdrew his forces altogether from the loud domestic fray , by retreating up-stairs to cogitate and muse , perhaps to make a calming prayer or two about all these matters of importance . As for Mrs. Tracy herself , she was even now , within the first hour of that news , busily engaged in collecting cosmetics , trinkets , blonde lace , and other female finery , resolved to trick herself out like Jezebel , and win her lord once more ; whilst the pernicious old aunt , who still lived on , notwithstanding all those twenty years of patience , as vivacious as before , grumbled and scolded so much at this upsetting of her house , that there was really some risk of her altering the will at last , and cutting out Jane Tracy after all . And the morrow morning came , as if it were no more than an ordinary Friday , and with it came expectancy ; and noon succeeded , and with it spirits alternately elated and depressed ; and evening drew in , with heart-sickness and chagrin at hopes or prophecies deferred ; and night , and next morning , and still the general came not . So , much weeping at that vexing disappointment , after so many pains to please , Mrs. Tracy put aside her numerous aids and appliances , and lay slatternly a-bed , to nurse a head-ache until noon ; and all had well nigh forgotten the probable arrival , when , to every body 's dismay , a dusty chaise and four suddenly rattled up the terrace , and stopped at our identical number seven . Then was there scuffling up , and getting down , and making preparation in hot haste ; and a stout gentleman with a gamboge face descended from the chaise , exploding wrath like a bomb-shell , that so important an approach had made such slight appearance of expectancy : it was disrespectful to his rank , and he took care to prove he was somebody , by blowing up the very innocent post-boys . This accomplished , he gallantly handed out after him a pretty-looking miss in her teens .