noon
He was ready to override criticism and trample on remonstrance if he could but succeed in drawing her into the fold , because his lifelong faith , that all human energies belonged to the church , was on trial , and , if it broke down in a test so supreme as that of marriage , the blow would go far to prostrate him forever . What was his religious energy worth if it did not carry him successfully through such stress , when the strongest passion in life was working on its side ? At the hour when Strong was making his disastrous attempt to relieve Esther of her scruples , Mr. Hazard was listening to these exasperating criticisms from his parish . It was his habit to come every day at noon to pass an hour with Esther , and as he entered the house to-day he met Strong leaving it , and asked him to spare the time for a talk the same evening . He wanted Strong 's advice and help . A brace of lovers in lower spirits than Hazard and Esther could not have been easily found in the city of New York or its vicinity this day , and the worst part of their depression was that each was determined to hide it from the other . Esther could not tell him much more than he already knew , and would not throw away her charm over him by adding to his anxieties , while he knew that any thing he could tell her would add to her doubts and perhaps drive her to some sudden and violent step .