noon
It is noticed , by the bye , that these damsels become , within the limits of decorum , more skittish when thus intrusted with the concrete representation of their sex , than when dividing the representation with Miss Twinkleton 's young ladies . Three are to meet at the gatehouse to-night . How does each one of the three get through the day ? * * * * * Neville Landless , though absolved from his books for the time by Mr. Crisparkle -- whose fresh nature is by no means insensible to the charms of a holiday -- reads and writes in his quiet room , with a concentrated air , until it is two hours past noon . He then sets himself to clearing his table , to arranging his books , and to tearing up and burning his stray papers . He makes a clean sweep of all untidy accumulations , puts all his drawers in order , and leaves no note or scrap of paper undestroyed , save such memoranda as bear directly on his studies . This done , he turns to his wardrobe , selects a few articles of ordinary wear -- among them , change of stout shoes and socks for walking -- and packs these in a knapsack .